The Pandemic Has Left Small Property Owners Feeling ‘Squeezed From Both Ends’

Isabel Pedras never wanted to be a landlord, but she inherited the honor nonetheless. She’s the daughter of Portuguese immigrants who built an 80-unit uptown empire on sweat and frugality. Her father worked construction jobs during the week and took bussing shifts on weekends, saving every penny he earned to buy his first property. He and his wife are proud of what they’ve built, but in recent years, they’ve found it harder to manage on their own, and Pedras has taken on a larger role.

Pedras balanced her family’s business and a job as a commercial litigator until four years ago, when her father had triple bypass surgery. Realizing she needed to step up, she quit the law and became the full-time…

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