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.
Michigan renters are calling on state legislators to pass a series of bills that could ease the burden of high rent costs, reports Rose White in Michigan Live. According to White, “The real gross median cost of renting in Michigan jumped by 4.7% last year. More than half of Michigan renters are considered cost-burdened, meaning they’re paying more than 30% of their income on rent.”
The proposed legislation includes bills that would bar discrimination based on criminal history and source of income. “Additional bills would expunge eviction records after two years and give tenants facing eviction the right to counsel. HB 5756 would only allow ‘good cause’ evictions and wouldn’t allow landlords to increase rent ‘that is unreasonable’ to price people out.”
One piece of legislation would allow tenants to form unions, while another would cap ‘junk’ fees in rental applications. Another set of laws would reform regulations around mobile home parks and limit ‘unjustifiable’ rent increases for tenants.
FULL STORY: Michigan tenants push ‘renters rights’ bills before time runs out
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Journal of the American Planning Association