In The News

Wrongheaded ordinances being drafted by two Minneapolis City Council members to limit the ways landlords screen prospective tenants would harm, not benefit, the city’s rental housing landscape. Though the goal is to improve access to housing, the regulations most likely would do the opposite. Despite pressure from well-intentioned but misguided affordable-­housing advocates, Mayor Jacob Frey and other members of the City Council must ensure that the screening and security deposit proposals go no further. http://www.startribune.com/attack-on-landlords-in-minneapolis-is-bound-to-backfire/510990352/

The well-intentioned ordinances are meant to lower barriers to housing for renters with criminal histories and low credit scores, and simultaneously limit security deposits that might mitigate those risks.

MHA has found is that many existing tenants worry that they will be exposed to potentially dangerous people moving in without any background checks.

The proposals would stop landlords from rejecting tenants based on historic convictions and poor credit scores

The proposed ordinance changes would limit how property owners can use criminal, credit and eviction histories to screen potential tenants.

Landlords say applicants’ criminal, eviction and credit history is relevant.

The ordinances would bar landlords from denying applicants based on their criminal record, credit score and prior evictions.