The Sheriff’s Office has temporarily halted all eviction actions across the state following a recent 20-hour standoff in my hometown. This moratorium, intended to allow for a comprehensive review of eviction policies, is putting significant financial pressure on small-scale landlords.
Many homeowners are now struggling to keep up with mortgage payments while they wait out uncooperative tenants. The inability to evict tenants who are violating lease agreements, not paying rent, or engaging in illegal activities is creating a severe financial burden.
The decision to suspend evictions stems from an incident on April 18, when a standoff at the condo complex escalated dangerously. Howard Abraham, who was being evicted following a court order issued last October, resisted the eviction. During the standoff, a K-9 unit was stabbed multiple times, and Abraham allegedly fired arrows at deputies. He now faces multiple counts of attempted assault on law enforcement officers and is charged with causing injury to a service animal. The dog is expected to fully recover. Abraham’s trial is scheduled for July. The media fails to report that Mr. Abraham was the previous owner of the property and not a tenant who violated a rental agreement.
Following the standoff, the State announced a "safety standdown" to review its eviction procedures. They claim the stop is necessary to ensure the safety and effectiveness of their operations. “Eviction operations are dangerous and emotionally charged,” the statement read. They assured the public that eviction actions would resume within “a few weeks.”
In an interview, attorney Victor Bakke argued that the review of policies should not necessitate a complete halt in serving evictions. “That is their job,” he said. I could not agree more.
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