After Katherine Davis left her off-campus apartment for spring break, she expected to return at the end of the month. Now, she’s home for the semester, and paying rent for an apartment she isn’t using.

Syracuse University announced March 16 that classes would transition online for the remainder of the semester due to the coronavirus pandemic. The novel coronavirus causes COVID-19, a respiratory disease that has infected at least 1.3 million people and killed at least 76,400 worldwide.

New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo halted all commercial and residential evictions for 90 days starting on March 22. But some SU students with off-campus houses and apartments told The Daily Orange that they’re still being asked to pay rent even if they decided to return home for the semester.

“From the landlord’s perspective I understand, they have to make money,” said Davis, a first-year law student at SU’s College of Law. “(But) it’s horrible that my money is still going toward something that’s not being used.”

Davis said she’s looked into breaking her lease, but expects she’ll be paying rent until her lease is up in July. She said Aspen Heights Apartments, the company that owns her apartment, has been completely quiet on making any accommodations for students who’ve vacated the complex.

“From a student perspective, and (as) someone who probably won’t be there for the remainder of my lease, I feel like I shouldn’t have to pay for it,” Davis said.

Aspen Heights Apartments is providing flexible payment options and is waiving credit card and late fees if the COVID-19 pandemic has affected a resident’s qualifying income, a representative from Aspen Heights Apartments said in a statement.

Though the apartment complex’s lease terms are not centered around SU’s academic calendar, Aspen Heights Apartments is also waiving the fee for residents re-assigning their lease, the spokesperson said.

“We understand the challenges that residents are facing during this unprecedented time,” the spokesperson said.

Bujinlkham Buuveibaatar, a finance major and an international student from Mongolia, is currently living in her off-campus apartment. She no longer has the financial resources to live on her own and pay rent because Mongolia has closed its borders, she said.

“I don’t have any support system (in the city of Syracuse). It’s even hard for me to pay for my groceries right now,” she said.

Buuveibaatar will be moving in with her family in Chicago until Mongolia opens its borders. Her apartment’s lease ends in late July. She was unable to get out of paying her rent, she said, though she explained her situation to her landlord at University Area Apartments.

“I wanted him to be more sensible and consider my situation,” she said. “(But) he has obligations too, so if I’m not paying my rent, he would not be able to pay his responsibilities to the government.”

University Area Apartments did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Although she hoped to break her lease early, Buuveibaatar said she understands the financial burden landlords face. Her landlord told her the U.S. government has not given them any breaks, either, she said.

David Kim, a senior communications and rhetorical studies major, said having to pay rent factored into his decision to stay in his off-campus house when classes moved online. Kim said OPR Developers, the company that owns his house, was adamant on not making any accommodations regarding rent.

“Why waste money if you’re already paying for a whole separate house?” Kim said. “They were just very firm on not giving any breaks. If you want out, get a sublet.”

Facebook groups for students are now flooded with sublet postings for the rest of the semester, Kim said. OPR Developers did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Jerry Johnson, a Syracuse landlord who has been renting properties for over 50 years, said he has an apartment that two SU students who’ve left for the semester are renting. He hopes they’re going to pay their rent, he said.

“It’s my income,” Johnson said. “It’s too early to tell, but I hope they’re going to pay.”

Johnson said he had another SU student try to get out of paying his rent. His roommates were concerned Johnson would evict them, but Johnson said he wouldn’t do anything if they didn’t pay. Their lease is up in May, he said.

The two students who vacated their apartment left their belongings behind, Johnson said. He checks up on the residence to make sure the property is maintained while they’re not there.

Davis’ biggest concern is that her personal items in her apartment may be stolen while she’s not living there. She planned on returning in May to pick up her belongings, but now that most on-campus events have been canceled, she’s unsure when she’ll be able to return.

“Our stuff is still technically in the apartment, we have to pay for it,” Davis said. “For now, I’m just paying for a very expensive storage locker.”

Ben Tupper, owner of Syracuse housing company Rent from Ben, said he’s surprised how few of his tenants left their apartments after SU suspended on-campus learning. He has about 400 tenants, and about 12 have told him they’ve left their properties.

Only about four tenants reached out to Tupper asking for a break with their rent payment, he said. The tenants expressed some kind of financial concern, including job loss due to the virus outbreak, he said.

“With me, (if) you’re having personal economic problems, you need to let me know, and we will do something that helps us both meet what our goals are on both ends,” Tupper said.

Tupper said he’s reduced rent for tenants who are facing financial hardship. He’s also helped find sublets for students who have completely moved out of their properties.

“In these times, I’m willing to cut out a profit,” he said.

Published on April 7, 2020 at 10:07 am

Contact Sarah: scalessa@syr.edu | @sarahalessan