Know Your New Tenant Rights!

by Shannon Moriarty · 2009-06-07 14:22:00 UTC
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On May 20, Obama signed the Protecting Tenants in Foreclosure Act to protect renters living in foreclosed buildings. This was a much-needed move to protect renters in foreclosed properties from being displaced from their homes.

(In case you haven't heard, the pace of foreclosures hasn't slowed... there have been over one million foreclosures so far this year.)

Thing is, there's a catch. The provisions in the new tenant protection laws are "self-executing", so no federal agency (such as HUD) is responsible for oversight or enforcement. The responsibility lies on tenants and advocates to see that everyone involved in the foreclosure process honors the new law. If a tenant doesn't know their rights, they could wind up being evicted (and displaced) far too soon. 

Don't have time to familiarize yourself with this new law? Fear not. The National Housing Law Project (NHLP) has compiled an incredibly thorough toolkit to help tenants navigate the provisions of the law and exercise their new rights. In addition to providing sample letters, there are some great fact sheets that outline everything a tenant or advocate needs to know to understand the new law. 

Check it out. You could help someone prevent unnecessary displacement. 

 

 

Shannon Moriarty has worked in various homeless shelters and service organizations around the country. She is a graduate student studying housing and urban policy at Tufts University.
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