MN Sues Apple Valley Landlord Alleging Illegal COVID-19 Eviction

APPLE VALLEY, MN — Minnesota sued an Apple Valley landlord alleging that she illegally evicted tenants during the coronavirus pandemic, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellingson announced Tuesday.

The suit accused Joanna Wentzlaff, landlord of a town house in Apple Valley, of violating Gov. Tim Walz’s Executive Order 20-79, which prohibits evictions during the pandemic except under certain circumstances.

The suit seeks a penalty of $25,000.

Patch could not immediately reach Wentzlaff at a number listed for her, and has also reached out via email.

Walz's executive order allows landlords to evict tenants only if they or their family need to move into the property within seven days of the tenants vacating the premises.

The lawsuit alleged that Wentzlaff gave her tenants two weeks to move out in September.

"After learning that her notice violated the Governor’s Executive Order, Wentzlaff falsely represented to her tenants that they were not protected by the Executive Order because she or a family member needed to move into the home," the lawsuit alleged. "Instead of her or her family moving in to the home, however, Wentzlaff put the home on the market less than a month after forcing her tenants out in clear violation of Executive Order 20-79."

The tenants later received a voicemail from Wentzlaff’s real estate agent, Shantelle Sumner Odegard, saying that they had two weeks to move out, the suit alleged.

Sumner Odegard refused to comment to Patch.

The tenants said they never told Wentzlaff they wanted to move out, nor did Wentzlaff ever indicate interest in selling the property.

The tenants later reported the incident to Ellingson office.

You can read the full lawsuit against Wentzlaff here.