Comment Detail
Date: 07/31/23 First Name: Jason Last Name: Murcko Email: jmurcko@gmail.com Organization Type: other Organization: N/A Comment
I'm a low-income tenant, and I worry that if my current housing is ever jeopardized that I'll become homeless because no one else will rent to me given my income.
I think that there should be federal rent control, and that tenants should have to pay no more than 25% of their income towards rent. Landlords shouldn't be able to ask about a tenant's income, or do credit checks, to prevent the possibility of income discrimination. There should also be robust antidiscrimination protections that include things like immigration status, gender identity, sexual orientation, and conviction/arrest/eviction history.
I also think there should be protections for organizing tenant associations/councils--landlords shouldn't be able to retaliate against tenants for being a member of such a group, for organizing such a group, or for engaging in activities with such a group. Landlords also shouldn't be able to interfere with tenants forming such a group.
If a landlord violates any of these rules, they should be barred from owning or managing rental properties for a substantial amount of time.