Renters' Caucus Unveils Bills to Bolster Tenant Rights in the U.S.

THE CALIFORNIA TENANTS' CAUCUS highlighted this week a series of bills designed to enhance tenant safeguards, they constitute almost fifty percent of the state’s population, as per the Public Policy Institute of California.

The Renters Caucus, formed in 2022, has grown twofold from its initial five members to ten.

At a press conference held on Wednesday, six members of the caucus individually presented their bills. They highlighted that as an increasing number of assemblymembers become renters themselves, this shift has prompted further legislative action aimed at addressing the requirements and protections for tenants. This was stated by Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco), who chairs the Renters' Caucus.

"It represents a remarkable boost in representation for a group of people in California who urgently require not only representation but also tangible outcomes," Haney stated.

AB 1248 (Haney)

Haney’s legislation aims to prevent landlords from adding extra costs beyond the rent unless these expenses were explicitly stated in the lease agreement. This includes avoiding undisclosed charges for maintenance, unclear utility surcharges, and administration fees.

The legislation intends to address a gap in current laws 2019’s Tenant Protection Act This enables landlords to increase expenses for tenants by incorporating additional charges.

There are numerous additional charges appended to the cost for many people. The price from yesterday isn't the same as today’s," Haney stated. "The advertisement does not encompass everything you're ultimately required to pay.

AB 11 (Lee)

Assemblymember Alex Lee (D-Milpitas) introduced the Social Housing Act, which aims to establish a California Housing Authority as an autonomous state entity. The primary objective is to construct publicly-owned, mixed-income residences to bridge the gap between housing development and demand. housing needs of residents.

The social housing concept relies on residents with higher incomes to provide financial support for more affordably priced units, thereby maintaining affordability without needing government funding.

If we place all our hopes in the profit-driven market without alternative social housing options, we will be ill-prepared for this crisis," Lee stated. "Too many individuals struggle with excessive rental costs and encounter unbelievably high housing prices. The government must intervene and become an actual supplier of homes.

Last year, Lee presented the same bill, which did not make it past the initial stage of First Committee Review.

AB 246 (Bryan)

Federal threats to reduce Social Security benefits prompted Caucus Vice Chair Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) to propose legislation aimed at temporarily preventing evictions for tenants impacted by delays in receiving their Social Security payments.

We understand that the federal administration is fulfilling its pledges to dismantle portions of the social safety net, making daily life more challenging for ordinary Americans," Bryan stated. "This affects individuals with disabilities and elderly people who depend on Supplemental Security Income from the federal government.

The legislation would expire in January 2029, coinciding with the inauguration of the new U.S. president following the conclusion of President Donald Trump’s term.

SB 436 (Wahab)

Senator Aisha Wahab (D-Fremont), who has been newly named the head of the Senate Housing Committee, proposed a bill aimed at stopping evictions for renters waiting for financial aid.

“Most of these cases are due to nonpayment of rent,” Wahab said. “Whether it’s an employer withholding wages, or whether it’s a job loss or a medical emergency that hits them with a several thousand-dollar cost.”

The California Housing Retention Act aims to provide tenants with more than the present three-day period for paying back rent. Should an eviction be initiated, renters have the option to settle their outstanding balance at any stage of the legal proceedings to instantly stop the eviction process.

SB 52 (Pérez)

State Senator Sasha Renee Perez (D-Pasadena) has introduced a bill aimed at prohibiting the utilization of Artificial Intelligence to increase rental costs .

The expansion of AI Has impacted the housing market as certain landlords utilize AI software along with rental information from competing properties to determine their prices. Several municipalities within the Bay Area are considering prohibiting this AI software, and both San Francisco and Berkeley have already enacted such bans.

These AI-enabled rental pricing mechanisms transform rivals into partners, enabling an illegal exchange of information that distorts the housing market," stated Renee Perez. "This technology-fueled exploitation is exacerbating the already severe affordability issue.

AB 380 (Gonzalez)

The concluding bill within this set of legislation was introduced by Assembly Majority Whip Mark Gonzalez (D-Los Angeles). This particular measure seeks to broaden emergency anti-price gouging provisions so they encompass rental properties with lease terms exceeding one year.

The legislation follows January's catastrophic wildfires in Los Angeles, which caused rental rates to surge dramatically, exceeding the legal cap that restricts landlords from boosting rents by more than 10% above what was charged prior to the declaration of a state of emergency.

It's not acceptable to make money from another person's misfortune," Gonzalez stated. "People in the rental market are at risk, and nobody should have to pay two or three times the usual rent during a crisis.

This legislation would extend the provisions of current law to cover commercial properties as well. Additionally, it proposes increasing the fines from $10,000 to potentially $25,000.

It is anticipated that all six bills will come up for discussion in various committees over the coming weeks.

The Renter’s Caucus is hopeful that this extensive set of tenant-friendly laws will offer quick safeguards for tenants, numerous individuals who grapple with sky-high rental fees compelling them to allocate significant parts of their earnings towards living expenses.

What we're witnessing this year isn't just an increase in legislators who represent tenants; we're also observing more policies favoring renters being proposed," Haney stated. "Navigating these complex matters through the legislative process can be challenging, yet we are somewhat larger and stronger than before, remaining steadfastly dedicated to serving California's inhabitants, which encompasses well over 17 million renters.

The post The Renters' Caucus unveils a series of legislation aimed at bolstering tenants' rights. appeared first on Local News Matters .