The bill could also expose instances when a landlord tries to evict someone for reasons that violate Fair Housing laws. “Good Cause Eviction” is a legal policy created to make sure that leases are not terminated by the landlord for illegal reasons such as discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. Wrongly evicted tenants share their testimony to support the "Good Cause" bill at City Hall's Council chambers in February. On December 6, 2018, City Council passed a bill that will prohibit any landlord with a property in the City of Philadelphia from terminating a lease agreement at the end of its term unless the landlord has “good cause” not to renew the lease. Good Cause Eviction Protection for Tax Credit Tenants: National Housing Law Project; The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program provides housing for low- to moderate-income renters in exchange for tax credits for the developers. A bill signed into law Tuesday will offer some protections to month-to-month renters in Philadelphia from discriminatory or vindictive evictions. It echoes similar laws already on the books in cities such as San Francisco, Seattle, … It’s an … Even if Philadelphia had rent control, currently, a landlord could simply evict tenants in rent-controlled units for no reason and then raise rents for new tenants. Good Cause Eviction; Filing A Complaint; Rental Suitability; Discrimination Is Illegal; Phila > Fair Housing Commission > COVID-19 Emergency Tenant Protections. A bill signed into law Tuesday will offer some protections to month-to-month renters in Philadelphia from discriminatory or vindictive evictions. good cause shown as provided in this order. Single mothers and African Americans were found to be particularly at risk. Alert: Philadelphia's "Good Cause" Eviction Bill. Philly 311. Eviction attacks our communities. Tenant Good Cause Eviction and Rent Increase Protection Definition Under IRC §42(h)(6), buildings are eligible for the low-income housing credit only if the owner has entered into an extended low-income housing commitment. “Those of us who work in this space and have for many, many years take this work extremely seriously,” Councilmember Maria Quinones-Sanchez said. Grant Phelan; Download PDF . “To be very frank, I never thought it was going to do much," Cruel said. (2)In residential cases, Plaintiff Landlords who have obtained a judgement of possession may seek leave of court to be exempted from the moratorium imposed by Section (1) above by filing a petition, supported by exhibit(s) and sworn affidavits or … The Pennsylvania eviction process begins when the tenant breaches the lease or rental agreement. The bill came out of an eviction crisis in Philadelphia, where one in 14 renters had eviction notices filed against them in 2017. Our lawyers offers superior counsel to landlords in eviction proceedings in Philadelphia. Philadelphia Inquirer. JCEO requires that Seattle landlords have just cause reasons to terminate tenancy or evict month-to-month or other periodic tenants (tenants who pay rent weekly or twice a month). This "Good Cause Eviction" bill will eliminate the single worst aspect of Pennsylvania landlord/tenant law for Philadelphia residential tenants on month-to-month leases. 02.20.19. Landlord Tenant; … Among the permitted causes for evicting someone is if the landlord intends to make repairs on a unit or raise the rent. The PTU supports Good Cause because it directly answers Philadelphia’s expanding eviction crisis and provided a solid legal base for future reforms. The eviction complaint may be filed simultaneously with giving the tenant notice to vacate. What is PEPP? January 2, 2019. Code Limits Landlords' Right to Evict Tenants Within City Late last year, under Bill Number 170854-A, the city of Philadelphia amended Section 9 … The landlord must have “good cause” to terminate the tenancy. The Just Cause Eviction Ordinance, or JCEO, was passed in Seattle as a result of the work of Seattle renters and the Tenants Union of Washington. Then click “Go!” […] Complaint. In Philadelphia, it is illegal for landlords to evict tenants or change any terms of the lease because they are victims of domestic violence or sexual assault. Good Cause eviction protections represent the legal foundation to enforce other affordable housing reforms like rent control. Other “good causes” include nonpayment of rent, breach of the lease, damage to property, nuisance behavior, refusal to allow the landlord to make repairs, or to sign a revised lease. To learn more, read the articles in the toolkit Eviction and Other Housing Issues and COVID-19.. A good cause would include non-payment of rent, nuisance behavior, or breaking the term of a lease. The email referenced a draft "Good Cause Eviction" ordinance that Proco Joe Moreno was planning to introduce to the city council this past week. If the bill became law, landlords would have to have “good cause” before serving an eviction notice. The bill, which City Council passed in early December, amends the Fair Housing Ordinance to require landlords to have a good reason for evicting someone with a lease lasting less than one year. Single mothers and African Americans were found to be particularly at risk. Speak with a Landlord Tenant lawyer about protecting your rights when you have nowhere else to go. While … According to Princeton University’s Eviction Lab project, Philadelphia’s eviction rate was Abuse Protections Commission Bio's Executive Director FAQ Abuse Protections Law & Resources. Late Thursday afternoon City Council members unanimously voted to pass a “good cause” eviction bill, ensuring that landlords would need a viable reason to evict tenants. The Good Cause Eviction bill, introduced by Julia Salazar in the State Senate ( S2892) and Pamela Hunter in the Assembly ( A05030), would expand tenants' rights across New York State. You must always have “just” or “good” cause to file for an eviction. See news coverage here. Based on the 2010 Census, Philadelphia is the fifth largest metropolitan area in the United States. Call Mark Copoulos at 267-535-9776. Philadelphia courts have different rules and allow small claims cases of any value. Good Cause Eviction; Filing A Complaint; Rental Suitability; Discrimination Is Illegal; Phila > Fair Housing Commission > Abuse Protections. Hold On Evictions Hold on Utility Shutoffs Other Tenant Protections/Notes; Alabama. COVID-19 Emergency Tenant Protections Commission Bio's Executive Director FAQ Abuse Protections Law & Resources. The mayor, City Council members and activists had all come together to celebrate the signing of the “good cause” eviction bill requiring landlords to have a reason — such as non-payment of rent — for ending a month-to-month lease. Read below about the background of this issue. Tenants living in tax credit buildings have good cause eviction protection statewide. This law exists because members of the Tenants Union worked together and fought for it. It would prevent no-fault evictions, and require landlords to justify rent increases above 1.5% of the consumer price index. The “Good Cause Eviction” bill (SB2892/AB5030) protects low-income tenants by requiring landlords to prove to a judge that their eviction case against a tenant is for “good cause.” The proposed legislation also protects tenants from unconscionable rent increases, which are rent increases of more than 1.5 times the annual percentage change in the consumer price index. TU Victory! As passed, the bill does little to protect against that, though. Owner, or an immediate family member of the owner, is going to move into the unit. It outlines some of the reasons deemed “good cause” for eviction, such as a tenant habitually failing to pay rent, refusing to agree to increased rent, frequent nuisance complaints, and more. “Good cause” is defined in City Council’s Bill … And in really poor areas where people don’t have stable incomes, eviction is reaching these tremendous levels.” On cities where “good cause” eviction measures are in place: “The entire state of New Jersey is probably the best example of this. Other Resources: You can check to see if your utility providers have … The Good Cause Ordinance in its current draft would restrict the reasons a landlord could use for a landlord-fault eviction to just four. The law amends the City’s Fair Housing Ordinance, § 9-800 of the Philadelphia Code. If you have benefited from this law, go to Tenants Union Membership to find out more about becoming a member to support the TU’s work for housing justice. No: No-Governor's order expired June 1, 2020. Once a landlord files an eviction complaint in Municipal Court, a tenant can no longer submit a complaint to the commission, Cruel said. On how the eviction rate in Philadelphia compares to that of other cities: ... On cities where “good cause” eviction measures are in place: “The entire state of New Jersey is probably the best example of this. Similarly, tenants cannot effectively defend their rights if a landlord can later reject a lease renewal for no reason. Under the proposed new law, a landlord could evict under good cause if the renter hasn’t paid rent, hasn’t followed lease terms, or if there has been property damage, according to PlanPhilly. Alert: Philadelphia Good Cause Eviction Ordinance For more info, contact: A. Councilmember Gauthier also updated the public that Philadelphia Municipal Court issued an order banning residential evictions in Philadelphia through Dec. 31, 2020, except in limited circumstances where landlords show good cause. “There are far too many low-income people in Philadelphia living in rental units in need of significant repairs,” Landau said. Julia Terruso. The only other “good cause” for eviction outlined in the bill is if the landlord or their "close relatives wanted to use the apartment as their primary residence.” Himmelstein says the bill doesn’t list the sale of the building as one of the grounds for a “good cause” eviction, so if the landlord wanted to sell, he wouldn't be able to evict tenants to deliver it empty. In addition, the tenant would have the right to contest the good cause by filing a complaint with the … Mandatory Disclosures in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia Municipal Court shall be served in any residential case (i.e., no residential evictions) until after December 31, 2020, except upon order of court upon good cause shown as provided in this order. In 2017, City Council, the Mayor and legal services agencies partnered to create the Philadelphia Eviction Prevention Project (PEPP), an innovative project to assist tenants facing eviction through legal representation, financial counseling, a live hotline, a court help center, community trainings & educational materials. … If you lose in court and do not appeal or if break your agreement, your landlord can legally evict you. Call Mark Copoulos at 267-535-9776. 1301, Philadelphia, PA 19103; 267-535-9776 ; mark@copouloslaw.com; Free Consultations. For leases of one year or more, your landlord must give at least (10) days written notice and is not required to state a Good Cause reason to end your lease. Landlords are prohibited from evicting tenants in retaliation or as a form of discrimination. Most recently, after year-long negotiations and more than 30 years of advocacy work, Philadelphia's month-to-month renters can no longer legally be evicted without “good cause” as of April 2019. Owner wants to make renovations with an empty unit (must provide notice and options to tenant). one in 14 renters had eviction notices filed against them in 2017, California residents do not sell my data request. The bill, which passed in a 17-0 vote Thursday, protects tenants from eviction unless they have broken the terms of the lease, habitually refused to pay rent, become a nuisance, or been involved in other, similar situations. “This ‘good cause’ bill is all about making sure landlords aren’t treating renters unfairly,” Mayor Jim Kenney said. Karla Cruel, an attorney who represents tenants in landlord-tenant court and who previously worked for TURN, had advocated for the bill in the past but said she doesn’t see the one that was enacted as being effective. Good Cause Eviction. Philly 311. It’s the same bill essentially, and it does exactly what Philadelphia’s bill would do. -See Alabama Judicial System website for more information.-Visit ALtogether to find resources for assistance in Alabama.-Public Service Commission states that it is confident no customers will experience interruption during crisis, and that after crisis period utilities … Landlords attempting to evict some tenants must now have a good reason to do so. Share This Story, Choose Your Platform! A landlord can also evict someone if the intent is to rent the unit to an immediate family member. Commentary Change in Phila. However, if the State Agency determines that good cause did not exist for removal of a resident, a credit loss and recapture could result. As such, it is generally assumed that at-will tenants have no protections and may be evicted at any time for any reason. On January 22nd, after more than a year of debate in City Council, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney signed into law an ordinance that seeks to provide greater protections from evictions to certain residential tenants in the City of Philadelphia. The most common reason, failure to pay rent, is considered a "just cause," so it's unclear whether the bill would substantially drive down the city's eviction rate. Landlords who own units built before 1978 must provide info about concentrations about … The content of this article is impacted by COVID-19. Eviction for Non-Payment of Rent . Attorney Copoulos successfully defended against a Philadelphia Landlord-Tenant eviction in Municipal Court. Tenant does not allow landlord access to the property, after the landlord has provided written notice. Nuisance Activity engaged in by the tenant that interferes with others’ use and enjoyment of the property. The so-called “Good Cause Eviction” bill, also known as Universal Rent Control, would apply to nearly all market-rate residential rental units in New York City and throughout the entire state. “Philadelphia has many low-income renters and this Good Cause bill is about making sure they have the protections they need so that landlords aren’t treating them unfairly,” Mayor Jim Kenney said in a … Speak with a Landlord Tenant lawyer about protecting your rights when you have nowhere else to go. The “Good Cause Eviction” bill (SB2892/AB5030) protects low-income tenants by requiring landlords to prove to a judge that their eviction case against a tenant is for “good cause.” The proposed legislation also protects tenants from unconscionable rent increases, which are rent increases of more than 1.5 times the annual percentage change in the consumer price index. As a result of this CCA, it now appears that State HFAs may consider the requirements of other programs as well as state or local law, when determining whether or not there was good cause to remove an occupant from a §42 unit. Go to fjdclaims.phila.gov Click “Login As Public User” Enter the text in the image and click “I Accept” Click “Search” For Type, select “Defendant” for Case Type, select “LT Landlord/Tenant” and for Search, type your name. On December 6, 2018, the Philadelphia City Council passed Bill Number 170854-A, known as the "Good Cause" Eviction Bill. For residential leases less than one year, the bill prohibits landlords from evicting tenants unless there is “good cause” to do so. Community Legal Services leads PEPP in collaboration with Clarifi, Legal … (2)In residential cases, Plaintiff Landlords who have obtained a judgement of possession For leases less than one year, such as a month-to-month lease, your landlord must give you thirty (30) days written notice stating a Good Cause reason to end your lease. This law prevents an owner or landlord from issuing a lease termination or non-renewal without first showing “good cause” for why the lease should be terminated. Watered-Down 'Good Cause' Eviction Law Now Philly Law. They have good cause on their books. This process also pits neighbor against neighbor. Tuesday, January 22, 2019. Once the Good Cause protections take effect, landlords will only be permitted to terminate leases less than one year for infractions such as: Just Cause Eviction Protection. Pennsylvania does not have any rules on how eviction of at-will tenants is supposed to work. Quickly and efficiently evict your unwanted tenants. Councilman Curtis Jones Jr. also saw it as a guard against displacement in neighborhoods where living costs are rising, and landlords may want to renovate properties and raise rent. “Now, they have the option to go to the Fair Housing Commission, you get called to testify, meanwhile the good tenants are unhappy and might move out. A contract may be breached due to the non-payment of rent, non-compliance with rental terms, failure to vacate after the tenancy expires, or for illegal drug use on the rented property. We have much more work to do, starting with having Good Cause apply to EVERY Philadelphian. Attorney Copoulos successfully defended against a Philadelphia Landlord-Tenant eviction in … Among the permitted causes for evicting someone is if the landlord intends to make repairs on a unit or raise the rent. In 2016, one in 14 renters in Philadelphia were evicted, according to a study by the Reinvestment Fund. The Philadelphia Bar Association recently released a study showing that it would cost $3.5 million annually to provide legal aid to all tenants in eviction cases. You can always just raise the rent beyond what someone can pay and that’s good cause in the bill.”, Cruel – who is running for City Council – said another issue with the landlord-tenant legal system is the short window a tenant often has to file a complaint with the Fair Housing Commission to argue that an eviction was without good reason. It just says there has to be a specific reason for tenants to be … The Good Cause protections will go into effect on April 22, 2019. By a unanimous vote, City Council passed tenant protections that require landlords to offer a so-called “good cause” or “just cause” when evicting renters with leases of less than one year. Even then, though, the landlord would be required to notify the tenant at least 30 days before the eviction date. Evictions are a cause, not an effect of poverty. 1628 JFK Blvd., Ste. Pennsylvania small claims court will hear rent-related disputes valuing up to $12,000 including eviction cases. By: Paul Jay Cohen . In 2017, City Council, the Mayor and legal services agencies partnered to create the Philadelphia Eviction Prevention Project (PEPP), an innovative project to assist tenants facing eviction through legal representation, financial counseling, a live hotline, a court help center, community trainings & educational materials. Other “good causes” include nonpayment of rent, breach of the lease, damage to property, nuisance behavior, refusal to allow the landlord to make repairs, or to sign a revised lease. The tenant signs a lease agreement and must abide by the terms of this lease. The bill prohibits residential landlords from vacating, renewing or terminating certain leases at their expiration … Tax Credit Eviction. Finally, if a tenant is being removed for termination of the term the landlord must provide good cause for termination of the leasehold. This bill amends the "Unfair Rental Practices" statutes of the Philadelphia Code found in Section 9-804. The draft was written with input from the Lawyers' Committee for Better Housing, a group of attorneys that predominantly focuses on defending low income renters in court. It outlines some of the reasons deemed “good cause” for eviction, such as a tenant habitually failing to pay rent, refusing to agree to increased rent, frequent nuisance complaints, and more. ", © 2020 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC Terms of Use/Privacy Policy/California Notice California residents do not sell my data request. Philadelphia Affordable Housing Council unanimously passes ‘good cause’ bill after emotionally charged meeting The bill requires landlords to have a … 1. Breach or non-compliance with a “material term” of the lease. On Oct. 5, Councilmembers Curtis Jones, Cherelle Parker and Helen Gym introduced the “Good Cause” eviction legislation (Bill No. As an Owner or Operator, How Does this Affect My Business?The passage of just cause eviction laws eliminate a property owner or operator’s right to serve a nonrenewal notice on a resident at the end of the lease term. The Good Cause Bill, which provides just cause eviction protections to Philadelphia renters, was introduced by Councilmembers Jones, Gym, and Parker on October 5th and is currently pending in committee. If I have good tenants, I want to keep my good tenants happy. Tenant causes substantial damage to the property. Eviction. The minimum requirements for filing an eviction notice with the Philadelphia courts require you to prove you have provided the tenant with: Partner for Good Housing Handbook, a Lease, Certificate of Rental Suitability, Notice to Vacate, and a Philadelphia Housing License (Rental License). If you believe that you are being evicted without a proper notice or “good cause” file a compliant with the Philadelphia Fair Housing Commission within 15 days. The only other “good cause” for eviction outlined in the bill is if the landlord or their "close relatives wanted to use the apartment as their primary residence.” Himmelstein says the bill doesn’t list the sale of the building as one of the grounds for a “good cause” eviction, so if the landlord wanted to sell, he wouldn't be able to evict tenants to deliver it empty. But their estimates were based on a lower threshold, so Gym’s more generous bill would likely require between $4 million and $5 million. Last Thursday, the Tenants Union celebrated a tremendous victory for housing justice in Philadelphia when City Council unanimously voted to pass Good Cause Eviction Legislation. “Say you’ve got a tenant who doesn’t put the trash out, has visitors coming in at all hours of night, making noise, upsetting neighbors; you just give them 30 days' notice and call it a day,” Pinckney said. They have good cause on their books. The Fair Housing Commission (FHC) is responsible for enforcing the “Good Cause” eviction law. Mark D. Copoulos, Esquire; Attorneys. The landlord must have “good cause” to terminate the tenancy. For Hayward, these reasons are stated in the Just Cause for Tenant Eviction Ordinance. Community Legal Services leads PEPP in collaboration with "It doesn’t really do anything without any type of rent control attached to it. Cities or states that have just cause eviction statutes allow landlords or owners to evict a tenant only for certain reasons, such as failure to pay rent or for violation of the lease terms. This amendment to the Unfair Rental Practices law will protect tens of thousands of renters on month-to-month leases from wrongful eviction and providing stability for some of the most vulnerable working … There are 18 total just causes listed in the ordinance, many more than there … Most eviction cases are in Municipal Court. In 2016, one in 14 renters in Philadelphia were evicted, according to a study by the Reinvestment Fund. The Philadelphia Tenants Union, the principal organization pushing for the bill, cheered the passage of the reduced legislation. Most tenants get evicted because they cannot afford their rent, and non-payment is a “good cause” under the bill’s definition. It would require an owner to "show cause" and obtain a court order to terminate a lease. The bill would not prevent landlords from hiking the rent at the end of a lease, but it would require owners to give tenants notice of at least 30 days before raising the rent, filing an eviction or making any other big change to a lease. On December 6, 2018, City Council passed a bill that will prohibit any landlord with a property in the City of Philadelphia from terminating a lease agreement at the end of its term unless the landlord has “good cause” not to renew the lease. The law amends the City’s Fair Housing Ordinance, § 9-800 of the Philadelphia Code. Home; Our Firm. As originally proposed, the bill covered all leases, but building owners and landlord associations said that put unfair burdens on landlords that could dissuade them from renting, and infringed on their ability to run their business. Tenant refuses to sign an extension of the lease for generally the same lease terms. This Bill would require landlords to give notice and good cause to tenants they wish to evict, and allows existing tenants first option to renew the lease. Check court for status.-Check Wyoming's COVID-19 website for more information. How do I look up an eviction court case online? Just cause eviction statutes are laws that protect tenants from eviction for an improper reason. Eviction hearings will be held by video or phone, ... 2020, stating that good cause exists to continue most matters. The bill, which City Council passed in early December, amends the Fair Housing Ordinance to require landlords to have a good … This only applies to leases or lease … “Eviction for Cause” means that a landlord must have a reason to evict a tenant. By nature, a tenant pays a landlord an agreed amount of money to occupy a dwelling for a set period of time. In 2016, the Philadelphia Tenants Union (PTU) announced at its founding convention that the Union was committed to making “Good Cause” eviction protections one of its primary objectives (the other being tenant support at particular apartment buildings). Related … In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Philadelphia enacted the Emergency Housing Protections Act … … 170854) to City Council, which amends “Unfair Rental Practices” of Section 9-804 of The Philadelphia Code to require “good cause for certain residential evictions and to provide for a first option for existing tenants to renew a lease, all under certain terms … The ordinance amends Section 9-804 of The … Mark D. Copoulos; David Bercovitch; David Lehman (of counsel) Practice Areas. Victor Pinckney, president of HAPCO, the landlords association, said the law will make it harder for landlords to evict problem tenants whose behavior affects the quality of life of good tenants. It’s meant to protect people from being evicted for complaining about needed repairs or reporting a landlord to the city, as often happens, said Rue Landau, executive director of the Fair Housing Commission. If you're being evicted, you may have defenses or counterclaims you can raise. Pennsylvania landlords must make 2 kinds of mandatory disclosures: Lead-based paint. The Fair Housing Commission (FHC) is responsible for enforcing the “Good Cause” eviction law. Good Cause Eviction Bill Passes Philadelphia City Council: Creates More Questions Than Answers By: Paul Jay Cohen . Evictions have generational impacts on children, by … The most common reason, failure to pay rent, is considered a "just cause," so it's unclear whether the bill would substantially drive down the city's eviction rate. “Good Cause Eviction” is a legal policy created to make sure that leases are not terminated by the landlord for illegal reasons such as discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. “This Good Cause bill strengthens the Fair Housing Ordinance and will keep unscrupulous landlords from committing unfair rental practices and terminating leases simply because tenants request necessary repairs.". The PTU and Philadelphia community may have passed Good Cause Bill 170854, but that is only a first step. Implementation of the new law began on April 22, 2019. Implementation of the new law began on April 22, 2019.