Tag: renters
Proposed AFFH Rule Doesn’t Address Renters Directly—But It Should
Renters' rights are fair housing rights. Before publishing a final Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule, HUD must specifically address the needs of renters. Here's how.
Tenant Advocates Wait for Action After Meeting with White House Officials
Tenants got to talk directly to the Biden administration about the need to rein in soaring rents. Will action follow?
Is Everything in Your Lease Legal? Quite Possibly Not
Some leases plainly contradict state law or include questionable, punitive, or egregiously anti-tenant clauses.
Organized Tenants Are Baaaaack
After a lull in the 1990s, the tenants rights movement reemerged and has only gained strength. What caused the resurgence and what do tenants’ prospects look like?
Tenants Rights: It’s Not a Moment, It’s a Movement
In "Tenant Power Returns," Shelterforce examines how the energy and focus in the housing world is returning to tenant organizing.
Tenant Rights in Our Backyard—A Panel Discussion
Tenant activists discuss how the housing movement can do better at aligning itself with the tenants' rights movement.
ADUs: Defined, Disambiguated, and Debated
Accessory dwelling units are being touted as a way to provide more affordable rental units for tenants, and additional monthly income for homeowners. But some cities allow them, others don’t. So what are ADUs exactly?
Landlords Don’t Have to Control Security Deposits
The UK saw a dramatic change in landlord behavior once security deposits were put into the hands of a third party.
How Santa Fe Prevented Evictions with Easy Access to Rent Relief
Last year, tenant advocacy groups convinced the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico, to give cash quickly to residents at risk of eviction. As federal rent relief money trickles out, what can other areas learn from Santa Fe’s program?
Moratorium Extended: Millions at Risk of Eviction, Billions in Rental Assistance...
The CDC issued a new eviction moratorium through Oct. 3. Will it be enough time for states to distribute unpaid rental assistance? And how did the 2020 eviction predictions pan out?
Tenant Advocates Win as Security Deposit Bill Is Vetoed in Baltimore
Baltimore's mayor vetoed a “Renter’s Choice” law after housing advocates warned of the predatory potential of selling deposit alternatives to struggling tenants.
Keeping an Eye on Landlord Tech
The landlord tech industry, while alive and well prior to COVID-19, has ramped up in the past year to develop new ways to accumulate wealth at the expense of tenants.
High-Risk, Essential, and Illegally Evicted
Eviction moratoriums are only as good as their enforcement, as one man’s harrowing story in New Orleans shows.
Q: What Do All These Rent Regulation Terms Mean?
As rents have been rising, organizing for rent regulations have gained steam. However, the terms used to describe rent regulations can be unclear.
When a Renter with Disabilities Is Denied Housing
Renters with disabilities are often unable to meet the kinds of admission criteria that landlords establish for their properties.
Q: Can Including Rent and Utility Payments in Credit Scores Reduce...
Including rent and utility payments in credit reports and scoring models can increase credit scores, and reduce racial disparities in credit scores.
An Opportunity for Housing Providers to Help Renters Build Credit
Of the 987 low-income renters whose rents were reported through a pilot program, 79 percent saw their VantageScore increase by an average of 23 points, and 15 percent moved into a lower credit score risk tier.
Black and Brown Tenant Solidarity in Oakland
Last October, Oakland, Calif., passed a Tenant Protection Ordinance. This strong measure defending tenants against the kinds of landlord harassment that often take place...
Ann Arbor Tenants Union
For 27 years, the Ann Arbor Tenants Union has worked to put tenants in power and keep landlords on their toes by counseling, educating, and organizing.