Kamala Harris Reintroduces 'Rent Relief Act'

The Rent Relief Act would provide a refundable tax credit for renters who pay more than 30% of their income on rent.

1 minute read

April 9, 2019, 2:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Senator and Democratic Candidate for President

Senator Kamala Harris announcing her candidacy for president in Oakland, California on Jan. 27, 2019. | Kim Wilson / Shutterstock

"Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris is reviving her proposal to provide new tax credits to help families with high housing costs," reports Niels Lesniewski.

"The California senator on Tuesday will reintroduce the Rent Relief Act, which would establish refundable tax credits in cases when rent and utilities exceed 30 percent of a household’s income," adds Lesniewski.

Senator Harris first proposed the idea last year, with co-sponsors that include fellow presidential hopeful Senator Kristen Gillibrand (D-New York).

Kriston Capps wrote in March 2019 to explain the concept of a tax credit for rental housing assistance.

Planetizen is not endorsing Harris's candidacy for president, but continuing an ongoing effort to highlight the position of housing policy in the upcoming presidential election. Previous posts have focused on the campaign platforms of Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) and Corey Booker (D-New Jersey).

Planetizen has been closely monitoring federal housing policy under the Trump administration, mostly organized under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development tag.

Tuesday, April 9, 2019 in Roll Call

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

Google street view image of strip mall in suburban Duncanville, Texas.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall

A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

6 hours ago - Parking Reform Network

Blue tarps covering tents set up by unhoused people along chain link fence on concrete sidewalk.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work

Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

July 6 - Next City

Aerial tram moving along cable in hilly area in Medellin, Colombia.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle

Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.

July 6 - InTransition Magazine