Skip to main content

  • Comment Detail

  • Date: 06/19/23
    First Name: Robert
    Last Name: Willard
    Email: rwillard83raw@hotmail.com
    Organization Type: other
    Organization: Homes guarantee campaign

  • Comment

    I am a tenant living in louisville kentucky. I am a member of the Homes Guarantee Campaign. I have resided at my residence for almost 2 yrs and have seen the property change ownership 3 times. Everytime this happens the rent goes up and the maintenance and office care go down. On my last renewal the owners of the property separated the utilities which wasn't much of an issue but when I go to access what I owe for the month I can only see the base rent amount no utilities added. I spoke to the office management and was told that the owners want everyone to just pay what the paid the previous month without any proof of what IS actually owed. I myself have not had too much of a problem paying this but I do find it unfair to expect a regular base payment without knowing what is owed. My wife and I both work good jobs and yet with the rent hike and changes to payment we are still living pay check to pay check. I can't get proper maintenance done on my apartment I have had the lanoilium in my apartment needing repairs for over 6 months now and all I get is excuses on why it has not been repaired. Yet if I'm late paying my rent I get a notice to pay in full within 7 days. In conclusion for the state of the property and the upkeep that is not being done my opinion The rent is too high. The Federal Housing Finance Agency should protect tenants by limiting annual rent hikes to 1.5 times the Consumer Price Index or 3%, whichever is lower, in properties with federally backed mortgages. These limits should be applied universally as a requirement to all federally backed mortgage programs.

    In addition to limits on rent hikes, the FHFA should prohibit evictions without good cause, ban source of income discrimination, enforce and expand existing protections against discrimination, require safe and accessible housing conditions, create a landlord registry, require fair and standardized leases, ensure tenants have the right to organize, and create an Office of Tenant Protections to enforce these rights in all properties with federally backed mortgages.