Landlord showed up at struggling tenants' doorstep but to deliver a holiday gift they'll never forget

Kind landlords are rare to spot, but when we come across one, they deserve all the appreciation. When a new tenant was finding it hard to manage her rent expenses, her landlord, Travis Johnson (@blackrichi_rich), stepped up to be their "Santa Claus," and this generosity has online users hailing the kind man. Sharing the clip from November 13, the video has garnered over 14,000 likes on Instagram.

Missy Waller moved into her Portsmouth home three months ago. With holidays approaching, she has many more decoration tasks pending, which have been exceeding her budget. With Missy's son in college, she was finding it hard to pay the $1,400 rent. However, when their landlord, Travis Johnson, learned about their dire situation, he offered to do something that has earned him great respect from community members. Johnson, who rents out 12 homes in Portsmouth and has been a landlord for 8 years, understands the pain of not being able to afford rent. On November 13, Johnson arrived at Waller's home and revealed that their rent is paid for November and December. "It was a big relief. It was like a bookbag of bricks off my back," Waller told Alaska's News Source. The video featured Waller celebrating in joy after being offered the kind gesture by Johnson. His caption read, "Out Here Playing Santa Claus Today Before I head back to Houston, All My Tenants is Rent Free For the rest of The Year. A Couple My Tenants don't Get along as you hear from the Video & always Tell Them you get further in life leading with Love & Compassion. It's only right I Show & Lead as Example."

Johnson's act of kindness as a "Santa Claus" comes from his past struggles. "I know what it's like to have a housing crisis and instability when it comes to rent because I, myself, have struggled in the past, so I know exactly how it feels. So, that's what inspired me to give my tenants free rent for the holidays," the kind landlord revealed. Johnson, who is the owner of Homebridge Health Care Co., a home renovation company, emphasized the value of paying it forward. "I just ask everyone to pay it forward, and that's what we do here at Homebridge Health Care." A 2023 study published in the International Journal of Housing Policy noted that landlord behavior impacts the well-being of their tenants and their ability to make their rented house a home. By noticing his tenants' struggle and choosing to offer a helping hand, the landlord's act of kindness will always be remembered.

After Johnson's video went viral, many users hailed the kind man for his generosity. @mikethefitnessjunkie wrote, "Blessings brother, a beautiful thing to share." @margareth.toussaint commented, "Lord multiply the wealth of this young Man so he could provide for your children Amen." @ruck_dee shared, "This is awesome, if they were smart they'll just go ahead and pay January rent next month to be ahead." 

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This article originally appeared 1 day ago