accounting book with "rent relief" largely written in black marker
Mayukh Saha
Mayukh Saha
March 16, 2022 ·  3 min read

Landlord Canceled Rent For Hundreds Of Tenants So They Could Afford Food – I Think He Deserves Our Recognition

A Premiere Daily Highlight Story: Sometimes there are stories that are just too amazing and note-worthy to keep locked away. That’s why we scour the archives and bring some of them back to experience again. They may surprise you, make you smile, or even shed a tear, but they’re always meant to add a little extra to your day.

Back in 2020, when most of the news was extremely grim, there was a landlord in Brooklyn who decided to do the right thing. This homeowner decided to waive the rental fees for every single resident. And in a world where money speaks pretty loudly, this unselfish deed should not go unrecognized.

On the 30th of March, 2020, Mario Salerno had posted a notice on the front door to all his buildings. The notice clarified the rent waiver that definitely served as a boon. The landlord’s notice read, “Due to the recent pandemic of Coronavirus COVID-19 affecting all of us, please note I am waiving rent for the month of April.

A Kind Landlord In New York- Who Would’ve Thought?

The 59-year-old has close to 80 apartments under his name- which has around 200 tenants. His apartments go all the way from Williamsburg to Greenpoint. After listening to the woeful news of several tenants struggling to pay their rent, Salerno- the landlord, decided to not take the rent. A pretty good deed- isn’t it? When the world was adrift in gloom and desolation, here was a man willing to put a smile. 

Read: The Hourly Income You Need To Afford Rent Around The U.S.

In his interview with NBC New York, the landlord stated:

“For me, it was more important for people’s health and worrying about who could put food on whose table. I say don’t worry about paying me, worry about your neighbor, and worry about your family.”

Needless to say, such a kind act has definitely catapulted him into fame. He was always a known figure due to this wealth. But now, he is also respected by his tenants. 

And this isn’t something we are guessing. One of the tenants of Salerno, Kaitlyn Guteski, has stated:

He’s Superman. He’s a wonderful man.” Let’s be honest- these aren’t just platitudes. Kaitlyn had been unemployed ever since the pandemic began. For someone who is unaware where their next meal will come from- this was a selfless deed. 

Scott Hechinger of the NY Times was the next person to tweet about this landlord.

He wrote, “This Brooklyn landlord, Mario Salerno, is also the owner of the local car mechanic “Salerno’s Autobody” in my Brooklyn neighborhood. Truly one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. He & his family make everyone feel like family. This is not surprising.”

Truly, a hero unlike any other. Lets make some room in this world for me people like this, what do you say?

Keep Reading: ‘We’re going to be kicked out because we haven’t paid rent for months’

Sources

  1. ‘Don’t Worry About Paying Me’: NYC Landlord Waives Rent Because of Coronavirus.” NBC New York.  JaJuan M. Morris-Guity and Adam Harding. April 1, 2020.