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  • Comment Detail

  • Date: 06/28/23
    First Name: Michael
    Last Name: Burns
    Email: theburnsfamilyof6@gmail.com
    Organization Type: other
    Organization: SC Housing Justice Network
  • Comment

    My family of 6 was renting n North Charleston,SC and after an illegal eviction from a townhome, we moved to Philadelphia with family members bc we couldn't get thru the credit checks for an apartment in SC. We moved back in about year and we found that the rent was even higher and struggled to find a private landlord. We did but soon regretted having to live under a slumlord. We had no heat in winter and no AC in summer. We had a sewage leak under the front yard that drew bugs. There were electric issues that made it so we couldn't have anything plugged up without worrying about a fire or fuse tripping. Our landlord made even less repairs than our corporate landlords!

    This impacted me so much. Because I had to move to a cheaper rural area, my job was always far away commute. I had to drive from Monks Corner, SC to Kiawah, SC for work a 60 mile commute that can take up to two hours without traffic. I often spent 4+ hours just driving to and from my construction work job. Our kids were effected bc they lost access to enrichment programs that were more abundant in the city. They had to switch schools mid year which impacted their education.

    That's why I want tenant protections to stop landlords from placing illegal evictions on your record. I believe we should be able to have representation in housing court so that it's less likely to turn into a life changing problem. I believe that tenants should be able to easily find out basic details about their landlord with a landlord registry and there should be oversight to make sure they are treating tenants fairly and that landlords are fulfilling their obligation to provide habitable homes.