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To Whom it may concern;

The rent is too high. Eviction rates are higher than they were before the pandemic. Landlords have too much power over our lives and our homes. They hike our rent, offer slow maintenance or none at all, evict us, and discriminate. This is all part of how they make money.

The government is in business with many landlords, offering them favorable loan terms to finance their businesses and, sometimes, enabling their predatory behavior. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, also known as the “Government Sponsored Enterprises,” work with banks to offer $150 billion to landlords in financing every year, without any strings attached. I myself am having to pay for repairs the property management company wouldn't pay for the repairs. I have been threatened and intimidated by the property management company. I have even in the past also been intimidated, threatened, I have also been threatened with eviction, I have had repair people from the property management company steal property, damage property, and not replace it, and I have been bothered by a property management company.

Here’s the good news: As a result of tenant organizing, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which regulates Fannie and Freddie, is now deciding whether to condition government-backed loans on a set of tenant protections. These protections could include regulations on rent hikes and evictions, housing safety requirements, bans on discrimination, and more. If enacted, they could benefit over 12.4 million rental homes across the country.

Rent regulations: Protect tenants from and limit egregious rent hikes.

Good cause eviction: Prohibit evictions without good cause, ensuring every tenant has the right to a lease renewal. Good cause is defined as serious and repeated lease violations provable in a court of law.

Ban source of income discrimination: Prohibit landlords from discriminating against tenants based on their source of income including federal housing assistance (i.e., vouchers).

Freedom from discrimination: Enforce existing laws that prohibit landlords from denying a tenant rental housing based on race, physical or mental ability, and family make-up, and expand protections to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, immigration status, bankruptcy history, eviction history.

Safe, quality, accessible housing standards: Require all landlords to keep their properties in good condition, and to ensure homes are accessible for people with disabilities. No renter should have to live in an inaccessible home or in housing conditions that put their health and safety at risk.

Landlord registry: Tenants should have access to information about their landlord including their name and phone number.

Tenant right to organize: Tenants have the right to form tenants’ unions or resident councils free from fear of retaliation from the landlord or managing agent. Ownership and management representatives must not interfere with the creation or actions of tenant organizations.

Fair leases: Landlords must use standardized and clearly defined leases free of abusive terms.
Office of Tenant Protections: A team charged with protecting tenants and enforcing their rights in properties with federally backed mortgages.