Comment Detail

Comment

The Honorable Sandra Thompson
Federal Housing Finance Agency
Washington, D.C.
Director Thompson,
Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback on the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA)
Request for Informa�on on tenant protec�ons. My name is ______ and I am [a tenant in ____
community and/or an advocate with ____ organization. Share more about your organization or tenant
association here]. I am wri�ng to share my experience and to urge FHFA to take bold ac�on to create
clear, strong, and enforceable renter protec�ons for households living in rental proper�es with federally
backed mortgages. Given the broad reach of FHFA’s work, any renter protec�ons created by FHFA should
cover a significant share of renters across the na�on and put America on a pathway towards stronger
protec�ons for all renters.
Federal renter protec�ons are cri�cally needed to address the power imbalance between landlords and
renters that puts renters at greater risk of housing instability, harassment, and homelessness and fuels
racial and gender inequity.
To help ensure greater housing stability, FHFA should create new renter protec�ons for households living
in proper�es with federally backed mortgages, including:
1. Source of income protec�ons to prohibit landlords from discrimina�ng against households
receiving rental housing assistance such as Sec�on 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, or Supplemental
Security Income (SSI), or local rental assistance, so that families can have greater choice about
where to live.
2. “Just cause” evic�on standards, which limit the causes for which a landlord can evict a tenant or
refuse to renew a tenant’s lease when the tenant is not at fault or in viola�on of any law.
3. Rent gouging protec�ons to stop landlords from drama�cally and unreasonably raising rents.
4. Requirements to ensure housing is safe, decent, accessible, and healthy for renters and their
families.
I have seen what happens in communi�es without strong, enforceable tenant protec�ons.
I have seen what happens in communities without strong, enforceable tenant
protections.
We urge FHFA to take bold ac�on to implement mandatory, standardized protec�ons – paired with
strong enforcement – for all households living in proper�es with federally backed mortgages, including
larger developments and smaller proper�es. FHFA must con�nue to engage tenants and directly
impacted people throughout its process of establishing and implemen�ng renter protec�ons, and
protec�ons must be centered on racial and social equity as explicit goals. These protec�ons– along with
to large-scale, sustained investments and an�-racist reforms – are necessary to ensure that everyone,
including the lowest-income and most marginalized renters, have a safe, quality, affordable, and
accessible place to call home.
Sincerely,
Brian