Ayanna Pressley brings bill to help renters stay in homes without paying, claims ‘eviction is an act of violence’

Pressley voiced support for the Housing Emergencies Lifeline Program (HELP) Act, which would prevent renters from being evicted for nonpayment of rent in certain circumstances. In remarks backing the bill posted on social media, she described eviction as “devastating for the families” and said it “degrades the health of communities.”

“There is great stigma associated with it. It affects your credit score. Housing is a human right. It is a predictor of health outcomes,” Pressley said. “It’s essential for social and economic mobility, and so many people, when they receive a notice to quit or to vacate their homes, usually because of non-payment, because wages are not keeping pace with inflation, they don’t know their rights, and a lot of times, they will just accept that notice to quit and leave. And so my legislation is making sure they have access because we found that when tenants know their rights, when they have access to legal counsel, we can usually keep them safely housed.”

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The HELP Act would provide “critical support” to renters at risk of eviction. The legislation includes provisions to prohibit credit reporting of evictions and utility debt, require landlords covered under the bill to inform tenants of their “rights,” and establish a national hotline through the Department of Housing and Urban Development to connect renters with eviction prevention resources.

The bill would also authorize funding for legal counsel for tenants facing or at risk of eviction, and direct the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to create a national database of eviction information. Under the proposal, evictions could be halted in specific situations, such as when a tenant is actively receiving or applying for rental assistance to cover unpaid rent. It would also provide protection in cases where landlords fail to follow legal procedures or attempt unlawful evictions, and by expanding access to legal representation, it would prevent evictions by allowing renters to take disputes to court.

The HELP Act is a reintroduction of a proposal first introduced in 2020 that seeks to provide legal counsel and credit protections for renters facing eviction. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pressley also supported legislation that would have canceled rent payments altogether.

Pressley has argued that with an eviction notice comes “trauma,” and that she, along with other lawmakers, is working to “affirm housing as the human right that it is.”

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