Councilmember Jawando Introduces Covid-19 Renter Relief Act

Councilmember Jawando Introduces
Covid-19 Renter Relief Act
New legislation would prevent landlords from
increasing residential rent during the declared state of emergency

ROCKVILLE, Md., April 14, 2020--Today the Montgomery County Council introduced Expedited Bill 18-20, Landlord-Tenant Relations - Rent Stabilization During Emergencies, also called the Covid-19 Renter Relief Act, which would prohibit landlords from increasing rent for residential tenants during and within 30 days after the Covid-19 public health emergency. Councilmember Will Jawando is the lead sponsor.

The goal of the Covid-19 Renter Relief Act is to prevent landlords from increasing a tenant’s rent during the emergency caused by the global pandemic and to prohibit notices of rent increases during, and within a certain time period after, the emergency. Council President Sidney Katz and Councilmembers Craig Rice and Nancy Navarro are cosponsors.

“One in ten Americans is out of work right now. We need federal action to help many people to be able to pay their current rents, let alone an increased rent,” said Councilmember Jawando, who serves on the Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee. “We also know our renting population tends to include much of our lower-income population. My office has received reports of substantial increases in rent and significant late fees being added in some properties. We need to ensure that vulnerable residents, many of whom are already dealing with heightened anxiety and heightened risk of infection, do not also have to worry about large, unanticipated rent increases and about whether they can afford to stay in their dwelling places during this crisis.”

During an emergency, a landlord would be prohibited from raising a tenant’s rent. If, prior to the emergency, the landlord had notified the tenant of an upcoming increase, then the landlord would be required to instruct the tenant to disregard that notice. The bill would prohibit a landlord from notifying the tenant of a rent increase during the emergency or within 30 days after the emergency expires.

The bill also would require the Department of Housing and Community Affairs to post pertinent information on its website regarding the prohibition against rent increases during emergencies. The website would have to include information about each emergency, including its expiration date and the date that occurs 30 days after the expiration.

The Council staff report can be viewed here.

Councilmember Jawando’s remarks at the introduction of the bill can be viewed here.

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