Press Releases
REPORT: Kushner’s Company Filed Hundreds More Eviction Cases This Year Ahead of SCOTUS’ Callous Moratorium Ruling
Washington, D.C. — On the heels of the U.S. Supreme Court’s misguided decision against the Biden administration’s federal eviction moratorium, government watchdog Accountable.US revealed new public filings showing a company run by former President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner has continued to file hundreds of new cases to evict tenants this year, despite the ongoing pandemic.
Westminster Management, an apartment subsidiary of Kushner Cos. which was reportedly Kushner’s only source of “employment assets and income” while he was working as a top Trump White House aide, have already filed at least 590 eviction cases in three states since the start of the pandemic — including 209 in 2021 alone. In Maryland, the company has filed at least 413 eviction-related cases since March 2020 – including 121 In 2021.
Kushner Cos.’ plans are not just opportunist — they are also highly hypocritical, as Kushner is tied to companies and organizations that reaped millions in government pandemic aid that was meant for struggling small businesses.
“Jared Kushner is the poster child for ultra-rich landlords clamoring to boost their bottom line by kicking families to the curb, even if it comes at the expense of public health,” said Kyle Herrig, president of Accountable.US. “With eviction protections gone thanks to a misguided Supreme Court, corporate landlords like Kushner are relishing the opportunity to evict vulnerable tenants, but it’s still a choice: is it worth getting a little bit richer in the short term if it means putting their communities and tenants at risk during a pandemic?”
Earlier this month, Accountable.US released an analysis showing that the top five Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) — which own and operate rental properties and have been allied with groups that actively opposed housing protections — have reported positive outlooks to investors and spent lavishly during the pandemic, including giving new raises for some of their CEOs.
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