A Philadelphia City Council committee has passed part of a new protection measure for renters, but a grassroots organization said it doesn’t go far enough.
The Safe Healthy Homes Act is a package of three bills that hold negligent landlords accountable for failing to make repairs, retaliating against tenants who file complaints about unlivable conditions, and establishes a fund for renters to relocate while their homes are being repaired. Only the relocation measure was passed, while the remaining two were held for further review until the fall.
Cara Tratner, Lead organizer with One PA and Renters United Philadelphia, said renters in the city need protection from bad landlords who leave tenants living in squalor and retaliate against those who lodge complaints.
“It's not okay for any council member to say that this can go on,” she said. “Renters can't live in a status quo where their lives are literally at risk. And that's why we think this is urgent for them to pass these bills, to not keep waiting.”
Philadelphia renter Mellissa Monts said her apartment’s rodent and roach infestation led to serious health issues — problems that were ignored even after she submitted documentation.
“When they were given the letter from my doctor stating that my living conditions were causing my pneumonia issues, even when they were given the allergy testing that showed I'm fatally allergic to cockroaches and mice. Nothing,” she said.
The committee does back the $10 million budget request, which is part of the Safe Healthy Homes campaign. It funds personnel in the Department of Licenses and Inspections to implement a proactive rental inspection program in the city of Philadelphia.