A year like no other

Challenges, changes will dominate 2021 industry story lines after tumultuous 2020

By Blythe Edmondson, Attorney at Law

2020 was not what anyone expected. This time last year legislation regarding rent control appeared to be the point to contend with for 2020.

We were prepared for some unfavorable bills in the Arizona Legislature, but nobody could have predicted the onslaught we would face with COVID-19. The buck stopped with the rental property owners each and every time, and I am incredibly proud of our community and how we have weathered the storm to date.

While I hope with the COVID vaccine some things will get back to “normal,” we need to be prepared for the continued attack on

our industry and be aware of policy changes that may benefit our

industry and harm our industry.

On the national stage, we can expect a better than 50/50 chance

that the Centers for Disease Control moratorium will be extended. We may have 2020 was a rough year, be seen. Be prepared for legislation to establish rent control and to extend the a small window in January without it. and we don’t have a time before starting and/or completing The Joe Biden/Kamala Harris plan for housing may be stopped by a Repub- crystal ball looking into 2021.” the eviction process. lican Senate, but we can expect to see – Blythe Edmondson islature for 2021, the likelihood of these at least an attempt to increase Section 8 funding, more funding for subsidized housing development, a possible renter tax credit, and changes to attempt to strengthen fair housing regulations. The lawsuit, Brown v. CDC in Georgia, will continue to be critical for industry as we fight to our protect rights. in Arizona Rules allowing non-lawyers to represent individuals in limited situations. We hope this will lead to increased education regarding the eviction process for residents, but the exact ramifications remain to Given the make-up of our Arizona Legtypes of bills passing is not great, but the narrative will continue to be pushed as some try to inch closer to additional regulation on the rental housing industry. Resident advocates are expecting a three-prong wave of evictions in 2021.

First, they expect the writs of restitution to be issued in mass due to the expiration of the COVID protections such as the CDC order. Second, they anticipate that property owners who held off on filing will finally file once the COVID protection lapses, creating a second wave of evictions in 2021.

Finally, they are preparing for a final wave of evictions when foreclosures occur later in the year due to the financial hardship many property owners have faced with the COVID restrictions.

While the last is unlikely to result in evictions in the multi-housing industry, and I don’t believe there will be a flood in the first two categories, the perception of property owners is that we are ready to evict residents and want them out.

In short, expect continued and increased attempts to increase regulations on rental housing in 2021. Efforts will continue to “protect” residents who were affected by COVID well into 2021. These protections will likely come at the expense of the property owner, as they did throughout 2020.

Expect property owners to continue to be portrayed as the evil villains. Therefore, we need to be ready to present an accurate picture of our industry.

How do we politely fight these attacks and correct these inaccuracies? With facts. The Julie Hurst and Steve Peters Education Fund provides funding for the employees of a company that is a member in good standing of the Arizona Multihousing Association (AMA) and their immediate family members. Immediate family members include children, spouse, or dependent of a legal guardian. Administered by the Arizona Community Foundation (ACF), the Julie Hurst and Steve Peters Education Fund will distribute academic scholarships annually. The scholarships are for one year of undergraduate study for part-time and full-time students at an accredited college, trade/vocational school, or university located in Arizona. Applicants may reapply in subsequent years to be considered for additional funding. The AMA has myriad resources and articles we can provide to educate our residents, friends and neighbors on the importance of multifamily housing in our communities. We will continue to showcase the many wonderful things you are all doing for your residents and your communities.

We present facts and numbers when we hear phrases such as “rampant evictions” or “property owners want to evict residents.” (Why the commonsense point that without residents, property owners do not have a business or income is missed by so many remains a mystery to me).

2020 was a rough year, and we don’t have a crystal ball looking into 2021. However, we can prepare ourselves for the challenges that will continue to assail our industry. We are the advocates for the multi-housing industry. Our continued efforts will help protect both owners and residents.

Blythe Edmondson, Attorney at Law Edmondson Law PC Blythe opened Edmondson Law PC in 2018 after 18 years of practicing law in Tucson. While Blythe’s practice initially included real estate matters and landlord representation, she expanded her practice areas over the years to include collections and business law to provide more comprehensive service for her clients.