News Article
The recommendations came together from a series of six meetings, including public testimony. The Rental Services Commission reviewed and discussed current anti-harassment protections, proposed anti-harassment policy concepts, and existing anti-harassment protections in other jurisdictions.
Published
RSC Recommendation for Tenant Anti-Harassment Protections
The majority of the members of the Rental Services Commission (RSC) recommend that City Council evaluate the potential adoption of protections against harassment of tenants by landlords.
These protections focus on the following general categories: housing quality; construction projects; invasion of privacy; bullying; misinformation; and rules and treatment. The RSC recommends consideration of the following basic common provisions, presented in no particular order, contained in ordinances in other U.S. cities:
- Requiring due diligence in performing repairs and following industry standards to mitigate noise and exposure to harmful materials.
- Prohibiting abuse of the right to access, including photography/recording outside the parameters of a standard inspection.
- Prohibiting inquiring, reporting, or threatening to report immigration status of tenants, occupants, or guests to any person or agency.
- Prohibiting verbal threats or obscene language that would reasonably provoke or intimidate a tenant.
- Prohibiting physical violence or threat of physical violence against a tenant.
- Requiring acceptance and acknowledgement of lawful rent payments and reasonable time limit to make deposits.
- Prohibiting misrepresentation about a tenant being required to vacate the unit, legality of a termination notice, or basis of a termination notice.
- Prohibiting any threat or action intended to coerce the tenant to move out of a unit they are legally entitled to inhabit.
Read the full recommendations: