Houston single mom gets insensitive eviction notice after falling behind on rent during the pandemic

An unemployed mother of two was hit with an insensitive eviction notice containing an image of an emoji waving her goodbye after she had fallen behind on rent during the pandemic. 

Sonja Lee, 33, found a letter taped to the front door of her Houston apartment on Monday, ordering her to pay her remaining balance or vacate the residence that day.  

The single mom told ABC 13 Houston she had been struggling to make ends meet after losing her job in March and had owed rent for June, July and August, but had spoken to management about her situation.  

Despite their conversation, property managers sent her a callously written letter informing her she was being kicked out of the home. 

‘Guess who’s moving? You!!!’ the notice read, showing a large smiling emoji waving goodbye. 

‘Pay your outstanding balance, or release your apartment and turn in your keys to the leasing office by 6:00 p.m. today. Eviction will be filed promptly Tuesday morning, 8/18/2020,’ it continued.

‘I was shocked. Not shocked because I was behind on rent, but shocked at insensitivity of the letter,’ Lee told Chron. 

‘It was very tacky and tasteless and very unprofessional. I felt like they were antagonizing tenants for not being able to pay their rent.’

Lee, mom to brothers Patrick, 12, and two-year-old Sean, revealed she lost her job at Jack in the Box at the start of the pandemic in March, but was denied unemployment four times.

She then starting working from home after finding a new job online, only to realize later it was a scam and was never paid for her work.

Karya Property Management, which owns the Steeples apartment complex where Lee lives, has since apologized for the notice. 

In a statement to the news station, CEO Swapnil Agarwal said Lee is not being evicted and the manager who wrote the letter has since been reprimanded. 

‘Buck stops with me, so yes, I do personally apologize,’ Agarwal said. 

‘I wish I had the time and the resources to reach out personally to every one of them who have dealt with any issues at our properties. 

‘But I am apologizing personally in case it was insensitive, and if she was really trying to work out a payment program with the property or that she was in communication with the manager, then I accept it’s truly our fault.’ 

After sharing her story with the news station last week, Lee launched a GoFundMe campaign to help raise money for her overdue rent, raising $33,771 of her $3,380 goal. 

She revealed she has also received assistance from kind strangers who have contacted her offering to pay her bills.

It’s been so overwhelming, and I am so grateful. I have never experienced anything like this,’ Lee said. 

‘Another young lady assisted me, she paid all of my light bill.’ 

Lee said she also due to start new job next week.