By Jenny Davies
This week, the Colorado House of Representatives passed House Bill 1115 – the Local Control of Rents bill – that would give back power to local officials and residents to adopt rent stabilization policies that are best for the conditions in their local communities on a 40-24 vote. It next will advance to the Senate.
“My family has lived in Colorado for just two years and our rent has increased 40 percent since we arrived,” said Jennifer Starr, an Aurora resident. “With two special needs kids and a husband with serious medical issues, it is unbelievably difficult to make ends meet with these kinds of rent increases.”
House Bill 1115 would reverse a 1981 law that took away the rights of cities and counties to pass any local ordinances that could be considered rent control on private housing, including local ordinances that would stabilize rents. It would restore local officials’ ability to address their constituents’ need for affordable rents and protect and build the thriving communities they and their residents want.
“I am committed to helping my constituents not just find but also keep affordable homes so they have the stability they need to raise families and contribute to our community,” said Jacki Marsh, the mayor of Loveland. “This bill will give our community an additional tool in our affordable housing toolbox.”
Some greedy corporate landlords rig the rules. Landlord lobbies and apartment associations have created a legal environment to enrich themselves, including minimal licensing for rental properties, little notice to evict tenants, and no security deposit or rent increase limits.
The largest property management companies in Colorado recently were accused of unfairly fix rental prices: a lawsuit was filed against 18 property companies that control more than 44,000 units in metro Denver because they use software that compiles information among competitors to drive both prices and vacancy rates higher, so the forces of supply and demand no longer control the price of rent. The complaint calls the group a “price-fixing cartel.”
“Our members have come together to give power back to local communities to adopt the rent stabilization policies that will ensure that all Coloradans have a warm home to raise families and put down roots,” said Cesiah Guadarrama Trejo, co-chair of Colorado Homes for All (COHFA). “Next, we’re looking forward to passing this bill in the Senate to give working families a chance to stay in their homes and build the diverse communities we all want.”
Colorado Homes for All is a coalition of grassroots organizations that believes that no matter where we come from, what we look like or how much we earn, we all need a safe, stable home where we can raise our families, make connections with our neighbors and get involved in our communities.
COHFA is working on public policies that will help renters stay in their homes.
Jenny Davies writes for progressive-promotions.com
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