Behind the Story: Justice Inc

Like many people, I was outraged by the government’s response to the COVID pandemic. Businesses were forced to close, and it was easy to predict many of the problems that would ensue. Jobs would be lost, and many would be unable to pay their rent or mortgage. The government then compounded the problem by instituting an eviction moratorium and other restrictions on landlords and business owners.

At the beginning of the pandemic, I owned eight rental properties. While the restrictions imposed on me were not as severe as in other locales, I suffered financial hardship and experienced considerable stress. My personal experience provided some of the motivation for writing the novel.

Many of the controls and restrictions enacted during the pandemic remain with us today. So-called renters’ protections were passed in locales across the country, and the destructive consequences can be seen in rising homelessness and soaring housing costs. Nearly all the proposals offered to address these problems involve more controls and restrictions on housing producers.

The justification offered for these so-called renters’ protections was the economic hardships imposed on tenants by the lockdown. Virtually no mention was made of the hardships being endured by rental property owners.

As I watched this disaster unfold, I empathized with those who protested against the lockdown. However, I was also disappointed that most of the arguments against the lockdown focused on economic issues. While this was certainly important, the absence of a moral argument was distressing. What would happen, I wondered, if someone presented a moral argument against the controls and restrictions on landlords? Justice Inc is my answer.