Renters Bill of Rights Released

Late last month, the Biden Administration released the Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights, highlighting 24 specific measures the federal government will take in strengthening and protecting renters and calling upon Congress, local and State governments, and the private sector to take further actions. The Blueprint, which includes input from tenants, tenant organizations, housing providers, and others, builds upon other recent efforts, including the recently proposed Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule, the President’s plan to prevent and end homelessness, and the housing supply action plan that was released last year.

The five principles outlined in the Blueprint are: access to safe and affordable housing, clear and fair rental agreements, protections from unfair and unlawful discrimination, the right to organize without harassment, and eviction prevention and relief. For more information, read a statement from the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

Along with the Blueprint, the Administration announced the launch of a new Resident-Centered Housing Challenge, which will call on housing providers and others to develop programs and policies that improve renters’ quality of life. The Challenge, which is expected to roll out this Spring, will impact over 15 million rental units. As highlighted in the White House press release, interested parties can join the Challenge by completing a survey before April 28, 2023, and can reach out to the Challenge team at [email protected].