SALISBURY – The Eastern Shore delegation came before county leaders last week seeking support for new legislation changing the rental eviction process in Wicomico County.
In an hour-long work session last week, members of the Eastern Shore delegation met with the Wicomico County Council to seek a letter of support for legislation providing better property protection procedures during rental evictions.
While the current eviction process requires any remaining property in a rented unit to be physically removed from the premises and placed outside, the proposed legislation – championed by the Salisbury Area Property Owners Association – would implement a “knock, lock and leave” process in Wicomico County.
“We show up with the sheriff on the scheduled day of the eviction, we knock and open up the door for the sheriff, he removes the people or person that is there, and we’d change the locks …,” said Salisbury Area Property Owners Association’s Bret Hopkins. “Nothing is on the street. It’s inside, under a roof.”
Delegates told council members last week the proposed legislation had be brought before the state legislature in prior years and had neared passage in 2020 before the Maryland General Assembly adjourned early in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They also noted the bill had support from the City of Salisbury and the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office.
SAPOA rears its ugly head once more. Will legislative members who own or have family members who own rental properties revise themselves? I imagine Greater Salisbury fully supports this too.
What will happen with this change is pets are often left behind like trash. They will be left there to die you can count on that dead in the apts & houses.
Man that’s tough for both parties. I wouldn’t be a landlord for anything.
Long over due. It is one thing to remove their possessions, its another to intentionally destroy them or watch them get stolen because it is done when they are not home.
A solution is long overdue. And since Ghettobury is over 70% rental you need to start addressing these issues.
Soon to be followed by “Brick, Back, Gone” where the tenant throws a brick through the window, takes their stuff and is gone. Good luck with that.
this way the slumlords can offer fully furnished apartments and raise the rents! win win for the slumlords!
Do the roaches and bedbugs get to stay?
The landlords in Salisbury rent out a 1-2 bedroom apt to as many as 5-10 adults not counting children. Charge them huge amts never get paid & by the time they get evicted they are 4 months behind. The place has to be totaled rebuilt or sold as is. They can be easily spotted by the number of cars parked in the front yards + multiple mailboxes, and at least 3 cable dishes on the rooves. Inspections never!
For a city as small as Salisbury, it sure has a lot of slum lords and trashy rental properties.