Search Results

Read More »

Read More »

Read More »

Biden-Harris Administration Take on Junk Fees in Rental Housing President Biden announced a number of activities to go after junk fees in rental housing, highlighting abuses in rental application fees and other predatory fees charged to tenants. The statement features new research from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), highlights state action, and announces commitments from rental housing platforms to provide transparency on fees. Protecting tenants in the current rental housing market is a priority of NHLP’s, including making sure that junk fees do not keep low-income tenants from accessing or retaining housing. NHLP and the National Consumer Law Center sent a letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau detailing a host of predatory fees that occur... Read More »

Settlement Ensure Tenants are Aware of “Minimum Rent” Policies Monday, United States District Court Judge Matthew F. Kennelly approved a landmark settlement agreement between a class of public housing residents and the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA). The settlement ensures that all public housing residents will receive adequate notice of their right to request a “hardship exemption” to the minimum rent requirement, and will provide financial relief in the form of rent adjustments and/or credits to thousands of residents who were charged the minimum rent when they were entitled to an exemption.   Federal law authorizes CHA to charge its lowest-income public housing residents so-called “minimum rents” of $75 per month. But that same law protects families who cannot... Read More »

Last week, the Biden administration released The White House Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights (Blueprint) and we issued this statement. With the goal of stronger tenant protections, the Blueprint features more than two dozen commitments by federal agencies and suggests five rights that governments at all levels and the private sector should help ensure: Safe, high-quality, accessible and affordable housing; Clear and fair leases; Education, enforcement, and enhancement of renter rights; The right to organize; Eviction prevention, diversion, and relief. Though these principles are not novel, the White House’s recognition of them is noteworthy. Policies that the Blueprint highlights includes just cause, right to... Read More »

Rule Is Major Step in Right Direction to Advance Fair and Affordable Housing and Strengthen Communities (January 20, 2022) Leading civil rights and housing policy organizations issued the following statement applauding HUD for releasing the Proposed Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule:   “Today’s action by U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia L. Fudge in releasing an updated Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) proposed rule is an important step toward creating more equitable and affordable housing opportunities and stronger, more viable neighborhoods. Our organizations urged the Biden-Harris administration to prioritize restoring inclusive fair housing rules that were previously weakened or ignored, and that ensure everyone lives in healthy, well-resourced, vibrant... Read More »

Supreme Court Shuts Down Attempts to Revive Cruel Public Charge Rule but the Legal Fight Continues (January 10, 2023) The Supreme Court yesterday declined to review whether Texas and other states can reopen litigation challenging the Trump administration’s 2019 public charge rule. The 2019 rule punished people seeking permanent resident status in the United States if they use—or are deemed likely to use in the future—public supports to meet their family’s basic health, housing and nutrition needs.  The Trump administration’s 2019 public charge rule effectively denied millions of immigrant families health care, housing and economic support. An estimated 2.1 million essential workers and household members went without Medicaid and 1.3 million did not receive help through the Supplemental Nutrition... Read More »

Advocates hail Biden Regulation as Major Win for Immigrant Families, Urge Congress to Act (September 9, 2022) A new “public charge” regulation finalized yesterday by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) adds critical protections to secure immigrant families’ access to the health and social services safety net, including housing. While the final regulation largely restores and improves upon the public charge policy in place for 20 years prior to the Trump administration, it also makes improvements sought by the National Housing Law Project and the hundreds of other organizations coordinated by the Protecting Immigrant Families coalition (PIF). Read the full news release from the PIF Coalition and National Housing Law Project. Read More »

Enforcing the CARES Act 30-Day Eviction Notice Requirement memorandum discussing continuing applicability of 30-day notice requirement for certain evictions in properties participating in federal housing programs or with federally-backed financing. Highlights of the new version include: Discussion of the Washington Court of Appeals’ ruling in Sherwood Auburn LLC v. Pinzon, 521 P.3d 212 (Wash. Ct. App. 2022) and other case law developments; Updated information regarding state court rules implementing CARES Act eviction restrictions; Chart summarizing law regarding ripeness of summary eviction lawsuits in every U.S. state and territory (bearing on circumstances under which initiation of summary eviction proceeding before expiration of CARES Act notice is mandatory grounds for dismissal). Read More »