Portman cosponsors Eviction Crisis Act

U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) on Dec. 12 introduced the bipartisan Eviction Crisis Act, which would improve data collection about the national eviction crisis, expand efforts to prevent evictions, and mitigate the consequences of unavoidable evictions.

“Stable housing is a vital part of getting people back on their feet,” Sen. Portman said. “This legislation will help prevent avoidable evictions, reduce homelessness, and make it easier for people to escape poverty by keeping a roof over their heads.”

Sen. Portman cosponsored S. 3030 with bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) to address the national housing crisis, which in 2016 saw 2.3 million eviction filings across the United States and one in 50 renters evicted from his or her home, according to a one-page summary of the bill provided by the lawmakers.

“I’ve long worked on efforts to address homelessness and increase the supply of housing and I’m proud to partner with Senator Bennet on this new bipartisan initiative,” said Sen. Portman, who was joined by U.S. Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) as a cosponsor of the bill.

Sen. Young noted that his home state has three cities with some of the highest eviction rates in the country.

“Evictions start with the loss of a home and often end with job loss, depression and becoming further ingrained in the cycle of poverty,” said Sen. Young. “This legislation takes a number of important steps to work with and support tenants, landlords and municipalities to help avoid the process of putting another family on the street.”

If enacted, S. 3030 would create a national database to standardize data and track evictions toward improving policy decisions; establish a program to fund state and local governments expanding the use of landlord-tenant community courts while increasing the presence of social services representatives for tenants; and improve information on tenant screening reports, among several other provisions.

The bill has garnered the support of numerous organizations, including the NAACP, the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the National Education Association, Habitat for Humanity, the National Association of Social Workers, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and the Metropolitan Tenants Organization, among others.

S. 3030 has been referred to the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee for consideration.