RENTER'S RIGHTS (FROM THE ONE MINUTE REVOLUTION)

The One Minute Revolution: RENTER’S RIGHTS AND FAIR HOUSING

The tenant pays for everything: mortgage, taxes, insurance, repairs, AND provides free income and equity for the owner. Yet renters have almost no rights. In a truly fair world, every renter would gain equity, and all rentals would be like condos, or rent to own. Here are some things we can start demanding now.

Ø  Rent control. Increases cannot be more than Social Security cost of living and wages, or lower.

Ø  Rent commensurate with regional wages. And if the property doesn't get the desired rent, landlords would be required to lower it to attract tenants, with a cap above costs. (These two will also enlist property owners in the fight for living wages with annual cost of living increases.)

Ø  Tenants gain equity.

Ø  Landlord transparency: The property owner must be clearly identified. If it is an LLC, trust, or any other organization or entity, the board, officers, or trustees must be disclosed.

Ø  Purchase price, mortgage, tax, insurance, and utilities or any other bills that are the owner’s responsibility must be available to prospective tenants. In other words, are they paying their bills?

Ø  Repair work must be transparent- who performed it, if they are licensed, and what the cost was.

Ø  Property taxes on rental properties should not be given any grace period. Property taxes fund schools.

Ø   History of the unit- including repairs, occupancy length, evictions, and any other legal issues.

Ø   No national corporate ownership, and limits on the amount and or value of residential properties a corporation can own.

Ø  Limit on how much income property owners can receive from Section 8.

Ø   Section 8 buys some equity for the tenant.

Ø   Local governments must provide tenants with an escrow account where rents can be deposited for disputes and rent strikes.

Ø  Damage deposits must be clearly stipulated and transparent.  If there is any dispute it must be disclosed to the tenant before the tenant turns over the keys. The tenant must be given the opportunity to fix the problem or both parties can choose to file in court. Tenants must be guaranteed a lawyer if needed.

Given the current situation with out-of-control rents and corporations buying all the residential property, a city-wide or nationwide rent strike to demand some or all the above would not be unreasonable.

Do you have one minute today to call or write your Mayor/Alderperson/Council Member about Fair Housing and Renter’s Rights?