How to Help Tenants with Mental Health Issues

[Steve Sorensen]

I have a tenant that's been causing problems with other tenants in my building...he's a 60ish year old guy with some mental issues, a drinking problem, and no job. He's paid his rent on time for the most part, but he's gotten in a number of altercations with other tenants and my property manager. I've decided to not renew his lease because he's caused so many problems, and I've given him three extensions on getting out so that he could try and get his stuff together and find another place to stay...I'm not trying to throw the guy out on the street. He's an ok guy outside of his drinking, but he does have some clear mental issues also, and in his last conversation with my property manager he mentioned that he should end his life because he has nothing going for him. 

I'm not a social worker and he's a grown man, but does anyone have suggestions on how I can help this guy while also being a businessperson that has a property to manage? He's tried fighting other tenants and has been very nasty to my property manager a bunch of times so he needs to leave, but he's also vulnerable obviously, so if there's a way I can help him or put him in contact with someone who can, I would feel much better. Being totally blunt, I don't have the time or knowledgebase to help him much personally. If anyone has suggestions I'd love to hear them!

[Nathan Gesner]

Quote from @Steve Sorensen:

I'm not a social worker and he's a grown man, but does anyone have suggestions on how I can help this guy while also being a businessperson that has a property to manage? He's tried fighting other tenants and has been very nasty to my property manager a bunch of times so he needs to leave, but he's also vulnerable obviously, so if there's a way I can help him or put him in contact with someone who can, I would feel much better. Being totally blunt, I don't have the time or knowledgebase to help him much personally. If anyone has suggestions I'd love to hear them!

I know it sounds harsh, but stop coddling him. He is making bad life choices and disturbing the other renters. Extending his lease to keep him off the streets is just another way of enabling his bad behavior, and it's to the detriment of your good renters.

Give him a hard deadline to vacate and stick to it. If he doesn't leave, start the eviction. You can be a good human by calling adult protective services, reaching out to family, or looking for other ways to help him, but in the end he is responsible for what happens to him.