Tenants Rights
What Makes Rent ‘Fair’
Should monthly charges be pegged to the cost of financing, developing, and operating housing, or to household income? Or are there other ways to design how rent is calculated?
Washington State May Cap Rent Increases at 7 Percent
House Bill 1217 was passed by the House and will move next to the state Senate.
Fair Housing Funding Cuts Open Door to Discrimination, Advocates Say
Federal cuts to grants for fair housing advocacy organizations could lead to ‘widespread’ housing discrimination as enforcement resources are reduced.
Barcelona Buys Building to Prevent Tenant Evictions
One apartment building — and its tenants who faced eviction — became a potent symbol of the city’s growing housing crisis.
Opinion: Why Passing ‘Good Cause’ Eviction Matters
A proposed bill would require landlords who don’t renew leases to provide a reason, helping prevent capricious retaliation against tenants while still holding tenants who don’t obey the terms of their lease responsible.
LA County Leaders Seek to Increase Penalties for Rent Gouging
Landlords who raise rents sharply after disasters could face fines of up to $50,000.
Connecticut Program Prevented Eviction for Thousands of Households
A ‘right to counsel’ program that offers legal aid to residents facing eviction has saved the state $36 million.
California Law Extends Response Time for Renters Facing Eviction
The change in the timeline from five to 10 days could offer a lifeline for tenants who often lack easy access to legal aid.
Rochester Approves Tenant Protections
The city adopted the strictest possible version of New York state’s ‘Good Cause’ eviction protections, which cap rent increases at 10 percent.
Rural Renters at Increased Risk of Eviction
Rural residents often have a harder time accessing legal assistance and eviction prevention resources.
Cities and States Taking Action to Limit Rent-Setting AI
Federal prosecutors are charging a software company with using algorithms to artificially inflate rents.
Michigan Lawmakers Urged to Pass Housing Laws
A raft of proposed bills would protect renters from steep rent increases and ban discrimination based on criminal record and source of income, but the legislature only has a short amount of time to pass them.
NYC Bans Charging Tenants Broker’s Fees
Landlords can no longer tack on thousands of dollars in fees to new tenants to pay brokers who show rental units.
New California Law Protects Commercial Tenants
The law, modeled on residential tenants’ rights, acknowledges the uneven power dynamics between many small business owners and their commercial landlords.
DOJ: ‘Nuisance’ Evictions Could Break Federal Law
Ordinances that allow landlords to evict tenants for nuisance complaints or alleged criminal activity may run afoul of federal protections, the DOJ warns.
Chicago Tenants’ Union Distributes AC Units to Low-Income Renters
The group wants to draw attention to the dangers of extreme heat and encourage tenants to organize to demand improved conditions.
California Law Limits Security Deposits for Renters
Starting this month, landlords can no longer charge multiple months’ rent for security deposits.
Colorado Renter ‘Cash Back’ Program Rewards On-Time Rent Payments
The state is exploring a program that gives people a cash incentive for paying rent to offer renters some of the financial incentives homeowners receive.
Colorado Ends Non-Family Occupancy Limits
Local jurisdictions will no longer be able to limit how many unrelated adults can live in a household, a move that supporters say will help lower housing costs and help older adults supplement their incomes and stay in their homes.
HUD Proposal Would Soften ‘One-Strike’ Policy
Formerly incarcerated people are often barred from publicly subsidized housing, putting them at higher risk for homelessness and recidivism.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Ascent Environmental
Borough of Carlisle
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
