PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia renters are a step closer to getting new protections, after a City Council committee on Wednesday advanced two bills to prevent landlord retaliation against tenants who complain about conditions. Emotions ran high among both supporters and opponents of the bills.
The bills expand protections against such actions as failing to make repairs, eliminating promised services and refusing to renew a lease or harassment. Advocates on both sides packed Council chambers to testify. Supporters including Sonya Sanders told horror stories about unsafe conditions in rental properties and landlords who refused repairs.
“We had holes in the floorboards and the sheetrock. We had bugs flying into our house, literally, big cockroaches would fly in our home,” she recalled.
Landlords, though, said they generally supported renter protections but complained about tenants who abuse the system. Dawud Bey called them professional renters.
“That professional renter is the person who has no intent at all to pay their rent,” he said. “We have to find accountability.”
Most of the landlords did not have a chance to speak before the vote, though tenant advocates testified at length. Landlord Bill Vargas noted the disparity as committee chair Jaime Gauthier tried to enforce a time limit on his testimony.
“We’re a discriminated-against minority in Philadelphia called landlords and we are being physically threatened in these cases,” said Vargas, over Gauthier asking him to wrap up his testimony.
Advocates cheered when the committee passed the bills unanimously, but landlords erupted in anger, drowning them out with boos.
The bills have been amended to address some of the landlords’ concerns and appear headed for passage by the full Council. Administration officials testified in favor of the bills, indicating the mayor is likely to sign them into law.