2020-01-05 Landlords say new rules could actually exacerbate evictions in Akron
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Landlords say new rules could actually exacerbate evictions in Akron By Doug Livingston, Beacon JournalPosted Jan 5, 2020 at 7:35 PM With snow falling in late December, the brown and orange turkey and “Thanksgiving” decals clung to the cold storm door.
The tenant at this Lakemore apartment left in a hurry with more on her mind than updating her holiday decor. Six days before Christmas, an Akron judge granted her landlord, Terry Dotson, the right to reclaim his property — his livelihood — by evicting her.
Dotson and his wife own 125 rental units in Wadsworth, Coventry and Akron, where he grew up in Kenmore, plus 22 townhouse apartments in Lakemore at the dead-end of Mohican Boulevard. Off Pawnee Boulevard, his “for rent” arrow on a telephone pole forever points in the direction of an apartment — or two or three — now available due to a recent eviction.
Researchers with Eviction Lab at Princeton University say Akron’s rate of removing tenants by court order is the highest in Ohio, and 24th nationally.
Local nonprofits and national firms highlight the destabilization evictions cause, especially in already under-resourced communities. Public sentiment is turning sharply against landlords who statistically have the upper hand in court.
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