Philadelphia Creates Program to Protect Renters

Renters don’t have many rights under federal or state laws. As things are currently, those who rent are vulnerable to potential abuse by predatory landlords. This happens frequently in cases where a tenant registers a complaint against a landlord and the landlord files for eviction as a retaliatory measure. The city of Philadelphia is aware that tenants are being unlawfully evicted, and is taking steps to do something about it.

Philadelphia renters will find resources to help protect them from predatory landlords under a new program launched by the City of Philadelphia.

According to the local NBC affiliate, some 25,000 renters are evicted each year in Philadelphia. Most of them lack the resources to do anything about it. Lawyers are expensive and often inaccessible for renters, who tend to have lower incomes than homeowners. The City of Brotherly Love is aiming to keep people in their homes through the newly-launched Philadelphia Eviction Prevention Project.

“Evictions hurt families and communities,” Mayor Jim Kenney said. “Eviction increases rates of unemployment, makes it harder for children to succeed in school, destabilizes neighborhoods and increases shelter costs.”

Through the Project, tenants will be granted access to “a tenant helpline and website, information and connections to legal services inside the courtroom, direct legal representation of tenants, outreach to at risk tenants and financial counseling.”

It’s important to note that the program is not aimed at deadbeat tenants, or landlords who have rightful reasons for evicting renters. It is meant to help people like Barry Thompson, who in an interview by NBC10 stated how he was kicked out of his apartment by a “slumlord” who was angry about repair requests. If a landlord doesn’t keep premises clean and safe, tenants are legally protected by being allowed to withhold rent until the matter is resolved. The Philadelphia Eviction Prevention Project encourages tenants who are in a predatory situation to learn more about their rights and access support by calling the Tenant Legal Aid Referral Line at 267-443-2500 or visiting www.phillytenant.org.