Today’s Solutions: July 17, 2025

Although the coronavirus pandemic threw most of us into more than thorny life situations, it’s was incredible to see the powerful acts of shared humanity coming from unlikely heroes. An example of this came from New Jersey, where landlord David Placek, cancelled his tenants rent for three months. The only thing he asked in return was that his renters “pay it forward” by supporting local businesses during the coronavirus pandemic.

While the decision cost Placek around $50,000, the New Jersey native says he felt “fortunate” to be able to waive rent, noting that some landlords were not in the position to do. The landlord’s forgiving rent policy came as states and cities across the country implemented eviction moratoriums, recognizing that tenants would be inevitably unable to pay for their shelter in the following months.

However, advocates and legislators warn the moratoriums aren’t enough. They only temporarily stall the problem, potentially leaving tenants with a mountain of unpaid rent and flood of eviction notices as soon as the pandemic abates, leaving a housing crisis in its wake.

So, advocates have more recently pressed for what Placek’s already done: rent cancelation during the height of the crisis. We’ll keep an eye out to see whether this winds up happening or not.

Solutions News Source Print this article
More of Today's Solutions

Barbie debuts first doll with type 1 diabetes, boosting visibility and inclusion

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Mattel introduced its first-ever Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes in an effort to improve representation and produce ...

Read More

8 weekend rituals successful people embrace to recharge and thrive

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Weekends often arrive like a sigh of relief after a long, demanding week. And while the idea of ...

Read More

Jigsaw puzzles: A hobby that’s great for your brain

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In our ever-increasing digital society, puzzling is the perfect activity to unplug and improve your mental and physical ...

Read More

How meditation helps the mindset of people coping with disease

Keeping our spirits up is important for all of us, no matter the task at hand, and that's easy to forget sometimes as we ...

Read More