California center owners sue Michaels and Red Lobster for not paying rent

Owners of two shopping centers in Salinas, Calif., say they’ve made COVID-19-related rental agreements with all but two of their 80-plus tenants. They now insist the rent must be paid.

Neither Michaels nor Red Lobster paid their rents at the two centers since March, leaving them more than $100,000 arrears, according to a report in the Monterey County Weekly. Harden Ranch Plaza Associates and Salinas Center Associates filed suits last week seeking to recover what’s owed in Monterey County Superior Court.

“The landlord recognizes the difficulty tenants are having at this point, but tenants also need to realize the difficulties landlords are having with their banks. If tenants don’t pay rent, the landlords can’t pay the mortgage,” said the owners’ lawyer, Anne Secker.

Michaels owes a total of $51,441, while Red Lobster owes $68,999.