ST. LOUIS — Late last year, a landlord sought to evict a tenant from a Breckenridge Hills apartment complex.
During a trial in January, an attorney for the landlord argued that the resident could be forced out under a part of state law that allows for immediate eviction for "drug-related criminal activity."
Two Breckenridge Hills police officers testified during the hearing that drugs had been — and were still being — sold out of the property, according to court documents. The landlord, Tim Adrian, demanded the tenant leave, but she was still there, they said.
A St. Louis County judge, Julia Pusateri Lasater, agreed with the owner, and ordered the tenant and another man out of the North County unit.
But critically, Lasater did not issue a so-called writ of execution, telling the county sheriff's office to carry out the eviction, according to Adrian's attorney, Nick Meador.
The St. Louis County Circuit Court has indefinitely suspended the execution of writs, the process by which the sheriff's office evicts tenants. St. Louis County Presiding Judge Michael Burton cited the COVID-19 pandemic for the decision, and wrote that it's likely sheriff's office employees "would be harmed if they came into regular close contact with members of the general public at this time."
The unwillingness of the government to evict even residents engaged in alleged criminal activity highlights a stark difference with other counties in the region. For example, the city of St. Louis, which has also banned evictions amid Covid, has exceptions for criminal activity, property damage and violations of contractual obligations besides rent. Commercial evictions also are allowed. St. Louis County's policy has no exceptions.
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