White House outlines plan to address nation’s soaring rent prices and protect tenants

Geoff Bennett:

With the goal of addressing the nation's soaring rent prices, the Biden White House has announced new a effort to protect tenants and make renting more affordable.

Laura Barrón-López has more.

Laura Barrón-López:

The pandemic left Jessica Russell eight months behind on rent, laid off, and out of options.

Jessica Russell, Teacher:

The fact that we were possibly getting evicted, it became more and more of a reality and not a possibility.

Laura Barrón-López:

Jessica, an art teacher, and her partner, Nikki (ph), a tattoo artist and Marine Corps veteran, met here in Baltimore, Maryland and bonded as creatives.

But, in March 2021 they were both out of work and struggling to make monthly payments or coming up with cash for costly security deposits.

Jessica Russell:

It was probably one of the hardest things that I would say that I have gone through. You have a family to provide for. You want to support and uphold not only your spouse, but we have animals. So all of those types of things are running through your head of, like, oh, my God, what am I going to do?

It's OK.

Laura Barrón-López:

Facing eviction, they applied for and received federal rental assistance through the nonprofit United Way of Central Maryland. Eight months of back pay, plus funds for three months rent got them back on their feet.

Do you ever think at all about where you would be if that assistance didn't come through?

Jessica Russell:

Absolutely. I know for sure that we would be facing hardship. If we didn't get that assistance and kind of get that boost running, we probably would be facing homelessness.

Laura Barrón-López:

But even though she has work again and housing, Jessica says roughly half of her income goes towards rent.

She's not alone. More than 40 percent of tenants in America meet the federal definition of rent-burdened, meaning they spend at least 30 percent of their income on rent. The assistance Jessica from Congress…

Man:

The bill is passed.

Laura Barrón-López:

… part of some $46 billion over multiple coronavirus aid packages, is all but spent by the state of Maryland.

That, plus persistent inflation, rising interest rates, and supply chain issues in the construction industry, have meant evictions are creeping back to pre-pandemic levels. Jessica worries for herself and others.

Do you think that your local elected officials or national elected officials are doing enough to help renters like yourself?

Jessica Russell:

Absolutely not.

Laura Barrón-López:

The White House recently outlined regulations and a bill of rights to make housing more affordable and to empower renters like Jessica. But the immediate impact is questionable.

Joe Biden, President of the United States: Housing is a right in America.

Laura Barrón-López:

President Biden vowed to tackle the housing crisis within days of taking office and, after a year of meetings with industry and tenant advocates, announced a slate of actions. Agencies will begin collecting data on unfair rental practices, like tenant background checks and egregious rent increases.

The Justice Department will review competition in the housing market. And the Federal Housing Finance Agency will explore ways to protect renters with leases at federally mortgaged properties.

Diane Yentel, President and CEO, National Low Income Housing Coalition: It's the first time in decades, I think probably the first time since the Great Depression, that the federal government is acknowledging that there could be an important federal role in preventing rent-gouging.

Laura Barrón-López:

Diane Yentel is the president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. She says the administration's took a first step, but more is needed.

Diane Yentel:

They're not actually implementing these new protections now. They're not even committing to ensuring that they will. They're only committing to a process to consider such protections.

Laura Barrón-López:

The president's proposal includes a renters bill of rights that issues guidelines for safe, affordable housing, with fair leases and anti-discrimination standards.

But it's not enforceable. And tenant advocates hoped for more full-throated protections against price-gouging and other bad practices.

Diane Yentel:

One of the really unfortunate omissions from the announcement is any administrative action to hold corporate landlords accountable for egregious, predatory and sometimes unlawful behavior during and since the pandemic.

Jerry Howard, CEO, National Association of Home Builders: In 99.9 percent of the cases in America, there are good relations between landlords and tenants.

Laura Barrón-López:

Jerry Howard says most landlords are working in good faith to keep their tenants housed. He is the CEO of the National Association of Home Builders, a trade association that represents landlords, property managers and builders.

Jerry Howard:

During the pandemic, when renters were at their most vulnerable, it's been the landlords of America that, with their own money, with their own money, were paying the electric bills, the heating bills, the air conditioning bills, and were working with tenants to make sure that they were not evicted.

Laura Barrón-López:

He says the Biden plan is misguided, focused too much on renters, and not on the forces squeezing the housing market.

Jerry Howard:

It's too expensive for builders, whether they're for-profit builders or non-for-profit builders, to build enough low-income housing with the amount of regulations that are that they have to comply with.

Laura Barrón-López:

That housing shortage is significant, at least 1.5 million homes by the most conservative estimates. And the demand for affordable housing far outpaces the supply of it.

The White House says they will keep pushing Congress. The president's upcoming budget proposal will include funding for veterans housing for families like Jessica's.

Jessica Russell:

Five, six years ago.

Laura Barrón-López:

Remembering how close she came to being homeless, Jessica said she hopes the administration's latest announcement is the beginning.

Jessica Russell:

I think there is a stigma around the housing crisis. And I truly, honestly believe that, if there was more of a balance when it comes to cost of living, that other people would have that exact same opportunity to become successful members of society.

Laura Barrón-López:

Renting for now, Jessica and Nikki hope to save enough to buy their own home, a dream many Americans have had to postpone due to the high cost of housing.

Jessica Russell:

It's supposed to already go up to, like, maybe 50 or 60 degrees.

Laura Barrón-López:

For "PBS NewsHour," I am Laura Barrón-López in Baltimore, Maryland.