Philadelphia renters could get more protections from negligent landlords who leave properties in disrepair under new legislation introduced Thursday in City Council.
A bill package titled the Safe Healthy Homes Act would shield tenants from retaliation, tie rental license approval to necessary repairs and create a fund within the Department of Licenses and Inspections that offers payment to people who are forced to relocate due to repairs. While there are existing protections to hold landlords accountable, Councilmember Nicolas O'Rourke, who introduced the legislation, said they're not being enforced as intended.
O'Rourke, a member of the Working Families Party, said he's heard from many tenants about critical repairs being ignored by landlords, particularly among low-income families, seniors and people with disabilities.
He said he wants to "make sure that we recognize the gaping holes in the code as it stands and fill those holes with actual muscle and teeth that can ensure healthy, safe homes."
Findings from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia in 2019 showed that 40% of rental properties in the city needed home repairs of around $3,000 per unit on average. A Drexel analysis from January found that 1 in 25 children had elevated levels of lead in their blood, which researchers attributed to the prevalence of lead-based paint in older homes. O'Rourke also pointed to mold from water leaks, pest infestations, broken heating and appliances, and crumbling walls and ceilings as frequent issues for tenants.
The package includes three separate bills. The first, prevents landlords from changing a term in a lease agreement or refusing to rent to tenants because of former repair issues and codifies renters' rights to unionize. The second says a landlord could not renew their license to rent a property unless a violation is fixed and requires notices to be posted at the entrance to a property if a rental license is expired. The third would authorize the creation of an Anti-Displacement Fund within L&I, which would give renters a one-time payment if they're forced to vacate for a cease operations order when a property is deemed unsafe.
The package is meant to work in tandem with a $10 million funding increase for L&I for a pilot inspection program for code enforcement of rentals, plus another $10 million for the Built to Last program from the Philadelphia Energy Authority for repairs and upgrades. Both are part of the Safe Healthy Homes platform from OnePA Renters United Philadelphia and Philly Thrive, which work for housing and sustainability reform.
The Safe Healthy Homes Act will be assigned a committee for review. It must be approved by the panel before it can be voted on by the full council.
Also at Thursday's meeting, Councilmember Jamie Gautier (D-3rd) introduced a bill to provide a flexible funding program for Philly's community development corporations, which are nonprofits that work to improve neighborhoods.
"We rely on Philly’s network of more than 60 CDCs to stabilize and revitalize neighborhoods, repair the fabric of our communities, and provide critical services that promote affordable housing support and economic opportunity,” Gauthier said in a statement.
