Evictions resume in El Paso after a brief halt due to virus pandemic

EL PASO, Texas -- If you haven't paid rent since the coronavirus pandemic began, you may now be susceptible to losing your home.

Zack Karam, a landlord and property manager with Jaxon Texas, told ABC-7 that evictions have begun again in the Borderland after a brief moratorium.

Karam said he was notified by an El Paso County Constable that the eviction he filed last month has finally been served. He said the process took around 30 days.

Though sometimes an eviction is a necessity, it isn't what Karam likes to do.

"I'd rather keep all my people. During this time I'd rather work a payment plan with an existing tenant than have a vacancy," said the property manager.

Even though the process of a constable knocking on the door is a common procedure in an eviction the process, the courtroom procedure has changed due to the virus.

"I have a tenant that was visited this morning by a constable to deliver a paper that says we have court via Zoom. That's how the evictions are going to happen. It's not going to be in person at the courts it's going to be like a video call like what you and me are doing now," said Karam.

Zach Karam advised El Pasoans if you can't pay the full amount, at least pay something.  Even if it's a fraction of the rent that will speak volumes in the courtroom, he said.

The Jaxon Texas Properties Manager had advice for people of the Borderland...

"If you've done it right the last two or three months and have been transparent and honest it's going to work well for you if you want to stay where you're at. If you're just riding this thing and using the system and you're going to wait out until the very last day anyways, your time is up and it's about to happen right now."