KarunaNews Story

As the coronavirus epidemic began to escalate in the US, Nathan Nichols worried about two groups of renters living in his duplex in Portland, Maine. Knowing they worked hourly jobs in industries affected by closures, the 46-year-old landlord decided to waive rent collection for April. The mechanics of his decision was simple: "If they're not making any money, they can't pay me. It's not like they're going to somehow magically get money if they're not working." He added, "I'm really grateful to have good tenants who I can trust and are reliable.... Once you bring it out of the financial and into the human, then problems are easier to solve."