Even landlords who are notoriously cheap and low-tech, are moving away. So called checking accounts don't give you a free checkbook any more, in my experience. I don't think I've had to wait for a person writing a check at the grocery store in the last 20 years.

I don't think some landlords requiring checks (in my case almost a decade ago) mean the USA hasn't moved away from paper checks in general.

People often generalize one group by the actions of a tiny fraction of its members, while comparing to another group characterized by the actions of the vast majority. It was particularly blatant here.