Lawmakers are focused on building more housing. What about protections for renters?

PROVIDENCE − Renters being squeezed by the state's crushing housing crisis will see little to no relief, right now, from many of the reforms passed last year to make building housing easier.

Nor will over $100 million in loans for income-restricted housing projects result in new units by the end of the year.

One thing that could make an immediate difference in people's lives: a series of measures lawmakers are considering that are being touted as a "tenant bill of rights."

What is likely to pass?

House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi said one bill has a good chance of passing this session: it would increase the amount of notice required for a rent increase.

House Bill 7304, introduced by Rep. Jennifer Stewart, D-Pawtucket, passed through the House last year but died in the Senate. This session, it was heard in March and held for further study.

Right now, landlords need to give rent increases with 30 days written notice or 60 days for someone 62 or older.

The bill proposes to increase those limits to:

• 90 days prior to the date of increase for everyone

• 120 days for people 62 and older

Stewart said opposition to the notification increases is hard because it creates an "optics problem" for landlords.

Why a tenant bill of rights matters

Rhode Island is in a housing crisis caused by a severe lack of supply and an increase in demand. The housing crisis is being felt by both people looking to rent as well as people looking to buy.

New housing takes at least 18 months to open, and that's when a project has already gone through permitting, secured financing and closed on the land. The state needs 2,000 to 3,000 more units every year just to keep up with the current crisis, and far more to alleviate it.

What are legislative leaders saying?

Shekarchi said Stewart's bill to increase notice for rental increases is a "very good bill."

• "I think there's a bunch of bills that are certainly worthy of consideration," he said. "I also think that there's a lot of bills that need a little bit more work and study, but I think we'll see some real good progress on tenant rights bills this year."

The big unknown: advocates and some legislators say they are not sure what else is likely to get pushed forward this session.

Advocates say the housing crisis exacerbates the power imbalance

The housing crisis, where rents have risen precipitously and apartments are few and far between, has put renters in a vulnerable position, Reclaim RI's Dan Denvir said.

Renters are worried that if they complain about bad conditions, needed repairs, anything at all, their landlords will increase their rent or kick them out entirely and it gives landlords lots of power to retaliate.

The massive increase of unsheltered people has been, experts say, caused by increased rents and a lack of available rentals.

Many of the bills that are part of the tenant bill of rights package work to address that power imbalance, Denvir said.

Two bills advocates are focusing on would create a "good cause" requirement for evictions and give people facing eviction an attorney.

What advocates want to see change

What bills are on tap: Advocates are pushing a slew of tenant protections this session. Last session, one big win was the elimination of rental application fees.

• H7957 would give people facing an eviction an attorney

• H7960 would require "good cause" for an eviction, such as illegal activity, nuisances, and damage. Unpaid rent would not count if the price has increased by more than 4%

• H7987 would require tenants to be notified if inspectors determine that their building isn't up to code, or their landlord is facing related court action

• S2413 would ban landlords from renting apartments that they know or "reasonably suspect" to contain bedbugs

• H7962 would create a framework for tenants to form unions to address problems in their buildings

• S2438 would only allow landlords to consider the past three years of a tenants' credit history as part of a rental application

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Reporter Antonia Noori Farzan contributed to this story.

Reach reporter Wheeler Cowperthwaite at wcowperthwaite@providencejournal.com or follow him on Twitter @WheelerReporter.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Tenant rights laws in Rhode Island working through the legislature