By ANDREW WAGAMAN
THE MORNING CALL |MAR 23, 2020 | 8:55 PM
Allentown (Pa) developer Nat Hyman apologized Monday for a letter his property management company sent to tenants amid the COVID-19 pandemic threatening to evict those who didn’t pay rent on time.
The Hyman Properties letter, which provoked a furor on social media, began by acknowledging that “these are difficult times,” and that many tenants in the last few weeks “may have lost your jobs and/or be on unemployment.”
“Despite these circumstances, you are required to pay your rent on time,” the letter continued. “While this may sound like we are being uncaring, please keep in mind that all of our expenses, including bank mortgages, taxes, insurance, etc. continue to be due and payable on time. Our policies to enforce the payment of rent remain exactly as they were before.”
Tenants who pay rent April 2-5 would be charged a $50 late fee, the letter stated. The company threatened to file evictions and disconnect cable for tenants who did not pay rent in full by April 6.
“If you are not able to pay your rent in full, please contact the office and we will arrange a date for you to move out of your apartment,” the letter stated.
This is one of the least compassionate things I’ve ever seen. We need our leaders to step up and end evictions and rent…Posted by Allentown Coalition for Economic Dignity on Monday, March 23, 2020
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled last week that no one can be evicted, ejected or otherwise displaced from a home because of failure to make rent or mortgage payments during a court shutdown, which will extend through at least April 3.
Reached Monday evening, Hyman apologized for the letter, which he said was written by one of his managers and was “not worded as well as it could have been.”
Hyman assured that no tenant will be evicted during the pandemic, and that the intent was to “remind people that rent isn’t a negotiable bill.” All too often, he lamented, tenants stop paying rent before they stop paying cable and utility bills.
“We have enormous debts, and the reality is that if we don’t get paid, we lose these buildings,” he said. “If it wasn’t sensitive enough, then I apologize.”[More News] ManorCare reports coronavirus case, first at a nursing home in Northampton County »
Later Monday, Hyman issued a written apology via text, calling the letter “totally insensitive.”
“I’ve spent all week trying to negotiate with the banks, but they have shown very little movement,” he wrote. “I asked one of my managers to make sure that we get in as much rent as possible to pay the banks. In writing this letter, the manager should have been more sensitive, but I have to own this because I am the boss.”
Hyman reiterated that he will not try to evict any tenants during this crisis, and that he was wrong for allowing the letter to go out.
Luis Ortega and his wife, Nicole, rent a two-bedroom apartment at a Hyman building in the 1000 block of West Linden Street. Both lost their jobs last week — he works in manufacturing, she’s a nurse at a dermatology practice.[More News] ManorCare reports coronavirus case, first at a nursing home in Northampton County »
Ortega shared emails in which he asked Hyman directly if they could wait to pay rent until they get their first unemployment checks. Hyman didn’t budge.
“Go file tomorrow and you should have no problem having your money in time to pay the rent,” he wrote.
Ortega said he was hopeful the backlash on social media would persuade Hyman to work with tenants.
“People don’t deserve to be bullied, especially not right now,” he said.
Hyman has 15 properties in Allentown, many of which are older industrial buildings he’s redeveloped into middle-income and affordable lofts. He’s also the CEO of Landau Jewelers, a costume jewelry company.
Hyman ran for mayor in 2017 and has said he’s giving a 2021 run “serious consideration.”
Morning Call reporter Andrew Wagaman can be reached at 610-820-6764 or awagaman@mcall.com.
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