Eviction

Here's a before and after in an apartment renovation that turned my mild-mannered husband into a bitch.  It looks awesome and new tenants are happily paying increased rent.  You'd think we shouldn't complain, how fortunate we are and all.  And fortunate we are but we work our asses off in retirement. Yes we make money but we manage painters, flooring guys, bills, idiot carpenters, pallets of kitchen cabinets lost in Billerica, new tenants, old drunk tenants, tenants who ask us to help them get rid of a couch surfer who won't leave.  And we are nearly 70.  But, we are learning that renovations are relatively easy compared to evicting tenants.  Tenants who are drug addicts and alcoholics who've had their rent paid for over two years by the state.  Tenants who haven't had to work or take care of themselves for two years.   Yes, it was COVID but I worked, my friend wore a mask and worked in a public school.  The state also filled up our tenant's propane tank and the power company gave them reduced electrical bills.  Two months ago we received a letter from the state recently indicating these people had reached their maximum support and no more rent would be paid to us for them.  A well-intentioned act, giving these people money for rent and utilities for the last two years has temporarily helped them but now what?  What if attendance in an alcohol/drug treatment program was a requirement for free rent?  And, so we are forced to evict them.  I have had my moments feeling guilty over the eviction.  We are asking our month-to-month tenants to move so we can repair the front window they broke in a fit of rage and reconstructed with electrical tape, clean up the fake pink flamingo family, three broken bicycles, black garbage bags encircling the house and jammed under the deck.  We need to repair the fence they broke by ramming it with a car, paint the house inside and out and clean the carpets. And they are living rent-free while we pay the mortgage, taxes, water and sewer on the house.  We are doing our best to keep things kind and civil during the process but they aren't moving an inch until the sheriff shows up.  So we hired a $300/hour attorney who is hard to get on the phone.  My husband has offered to go to the dump.  We have given them garbage bags.  We've loaned them a table for their "garage sale." I have 1-800-JUNK ready to come clean the house the hour they vacate.  I naively tried to help relocate them by talking to the woman who runs a homeless shelter.  I told her the nine-year long story of rent paid out in installments over each month, texts to get them to move the abandoned car with a left front flat tire, trips my husband took to the dump when the house was buried in free stuff they find on the road and plant in the yard.  She told me, "Some people just don't value paying rent over other activities."  Well, that's an understatement.  She went on, "You've given them a home, waited for rent, filled out forms, responded to texts written in an alcoholic stupor.  You've told them to not feed the feral cats and wild birds because neighbors complain about rats.  You did a lot."  I am finally resting in the fact that what will happen to this couple is their journey. Not mine.  And, I'm done.  Well, not until the sheriff shows up but he's on the way.  The female tenant texted me that I me "cold" after I recommended she call the this helpful woman at the local shelter for housing.  Yep, I am done.  Apparently, I have to learn this lesson again and again.  Each soul has his/her/their life to embrace.  The manager of the homeless shelter told me that even though housing is tight there are multiple drug and alcohol treatment facilities with housing in the area.  Perhaps by evicting these people they will be forced to face their addictive demons.  But maybe not.  And that's not my problem.  You rent from us you have to pay the rent or leave.  My catfishes-addicted sister continues to give all her money away to her fake lover, at the expense of all family relationships.  I see these people.  I am working at finding peace in that all I can do is kindly take care of me and mine. And let others walk their path.