Housing (Tenant Rights)

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jan 27, 2025

HB 343: An Act amending the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known as The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, in tenement buildings and multiple dwelling premises, further providing for definitions and providing for borrowing requirements, for abandonment of residential rental property and for maintenance by receiver; and imposing penalties.

HB 343 amends Pennsylvania's 1951 Landlord and Tenant Act to strengthen tenant protections in tenement and multiple-dwelling rental properties. It defines "abandoned" property (when landlords fail to make timely repairs, respond to tenant concerns, or fix code violations) and requires lenders to notify tenants and verify property habitability before approving home equity loans. Tenants can petition municipalities to investigate abandonment, which may lead to civil penalties covering rehabilitation costs. If a property enters receivership, a court-appointed receiver must maintain habitability and notify local authorities, who can impose penalties for noncompliance. These changes directly affect landlords, tenants, lenders, and municipalities managing residential rental properties.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingStrengthens tenant protections by defining abandonment, requiring lender habitability verification, and enabling tenant petitions for municipal investigation of unsafe properties.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Tenant Rights

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passed · Pennsylvania · House Jun 24, 2025

HB 1095: An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in dockets, indices and other records, providing for limited access to eviction information; and requiring the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts to process records.

HB 1095 modifies Pennsylvania court records to limit public access to eviction information in dockets and indices. It directly affects tenants, landlords, and court clerks by restricting how eviction history is shared while requiring the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts to process these records under the new rules. The key provision creates a "limited access" system for eviction data, meaning the public cannot freely view these records as they currently can. This change applies specifically to eviction-related court documents within the state's judicial system. The bill passed the House on June 23, 2025, and was referred to the Judiciary Committee.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRestricts public access to eviction records, reducing tenant discrimination risks and strengthening tenant protections per bill's limited access provision.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Tenant Rights

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passed · Pennsylvania · House May 7, 2026

HB 558: An Act amending the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known as The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, in creation of leases, statute of frauds and mortgaging of leaseholds, providing for rental applications.

HB 558 caps residential rental application fees at $20 per applicant and restricts landlords from charging more for background checks that must include criminal history and credit score checks. It directly affects residential landlords and tenants in Pennsylvania by limiting fee amounts and specifying how fees may be used. The bill exempts commercial or nonresidential properties from these fee limits. The law takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill limits fees for background checks including criminal history, reducing barriers for tenants with records and aligning with criminal justice reform goals of reintegration.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingCaps residential tenant application fees at $20, reducing financial barriers to housing access and strengthening tenant protections per bill language.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House May 22, 2025

HB 140: An Act amending the act of December 17, 1968 (P.L.1224, No.387), known as the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law, further providing for definitions.

HB 140 amends Pennsylvania's Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law to add specific definitions related to algorithmic rent-setting software. The bill defines "unfair methods of competition" to include using software that analyzes rental data (like historical prices or occupancy rates) to recommend rent amounts, lease terms, or occupancy levels for residential or commercial properties. Landlords using such software would be directly affected, as its use could now be considered an unfair practice under the law. The definition explicitly excludes aggregated rental reports published monthly and tools used for affordable housing program compliance.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill defines algorithmic rent-setting as unfair, protecting tenants from exploitative pricing practices under consumer protection law.90% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyRestricts algorithmic rent-setting software by defining its use as 'unfair methods of competition' under consumer protection law, limiting tech application in housing.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Apr 23, 2025

HB 1293: An Act amending the act of May 28, 1937 (P.L.955, No.265), referred to as the Housing Authorities Law, further providing for findings and declaration of policy, for definitions, for formation of housing authorities, for powers of an authority and for establishment of rentals and selection of tenants.

HB 1293 amends Pennsylvania's Housing Authorities Law (1937) to update the policy declaration section (Section 2), reaffirming that unsafe housing conditions harm public health, safety, and the economy, and that housing authorities are necessary to provide safe housing for low and moderate income residents. The bill does not change operational procedures for housing authorities, such as tenant selection, rental rates, or property management, but revises the foundational policy statement justifying their existence. This update directly affects housing authorities by modernizing the legal basis for their work under state law. The bill focuses on clarifying legislative intent without altering existing mechanisms for housing projects or tenant eligibility.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill reaffirms housing authorities' necessity for low/moderate income residents and states unsafe housing harms public health/economy, strengthening foundational policy without operational changes.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Housing Finance Tenant Rights

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Apr 4, 2025

SB 549: An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in dockets, indices and other records, providing for limited access to eviction information.

SB 549 (Pennsylvania) limits public access to eviction court records to protect tenants. It creates "limited access eviction files" that cannot be shared online or with most individuals, except under specific conditions like when a case is less than seven years old with a final judgment for the landlord, or for parties directly involved in the case. Tenant screening services and consumer reporting agencies are barred from using these records in reports or considering them for rental decisions. The law automatically restricts access after seven years, when a judgment is satisfied (e.g., tenant pays rent or moves out), or if a court vacates a judgment. This directly affects tenants (by preventing old eviction history from impacting housing), landlords (requiring them to notify courts of satisfied judgments), and tenant screening companies (prohibiting use of these records).

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBars tenant screening services from using eviction records, protecting tenants from unfair rental denials based on past evictions per bill summary.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRestricts access to tenant eviction records to protect privacy, aligning with data privacy protections under Technology policies.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 17, 2025

HB 914: An Act amending the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known as The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, providing for limitations on rent increases; and imposing duties on the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.

HB 914 amends Pennsylvania's Landlord and Tenant Act to limit annual rent increases for regulated rental units, directly affecting tenants and landlords in these properties. It establishes an annual rent increase allowance calculated as the lesser of CPI-U plus 3% or 6% of base rent (excluding discounts), effective July 1-June 30 each year. Landlords may not exceed this allowance plus any unused "banked amount" when raising rent on lease renewals or new leases, with a 10% cap on increases. For capital improvements costing 40%+ of a unit's value, landlords can petition courts for additional rent increases to cover actual costs, but only if proven necessary for a "fair return" on investment. The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency administers the annual allowance calculation and public publication.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingLimits annual rent increases to CPI+3% or 6% cap, protecting tenants from excessive hikes under PA's Landlord-Tenant Act.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Feb 3, 2025

SB 218: An Act amending the act of May 28, 1937 (P.L.955, No.265), referred to as the Housing Authorities Law, further providing for establishment of rentals and selection of tenants and for veteran preferences.

SB 218 amends Pennsylvania's Housing Authorities Law to clarify tenant selection rules and expand veteran preferences for low-income housing. It requires housing authorities to rent only to low-income tenants (with income ≤ six times annual rent, including utility costs) and prohibits renting to non-citizens or those violating immigration laws. The bill also adds a provision ensuring veteran preferences apply to all qualifying housing programs, not just specific ones. These changes directly affect Pennsylvania housing authorities and applicants seeking subsidized housing.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRequires low-income tenant selection (≤6x rent) and expands veteran preferences for affordable housing programs, directly advancing access to affordable housing.90% confidence ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationProhibits renting to non-citizens in low-income housing, restricting immigrant access to housing services per bill's explicit language.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransExpands veteran preferences in low-income housing tenant selection, requiring housing authorities to prioritize veterans across all qualifying programs per amended Housing Authorities Law.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Renters Tenant Rights Veteran Housing

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Feb 12, 2025

HB 607: An Act amending the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known as The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, in preliminary provisions, providing for effect of declaration of disaster emergency; and imposing a penalty.

HB 607 amends Pennsylvania's 1951 Landlord and Tenant Act to protect residential tenants during declared disaster emergencies. It prohibits landlords from evicting tenants who lost jobs due to the emergency or entering rental units to show properties without consent during such periods. Violations carry a minimum $500 penalty per occurrence, and the law specifically applies to residential leases, not commercial properties. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment and is currently under review by the Housing & Community Development committee.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingProhibits evictions for disaster-related job loss and unauthorized entry during emergencies, imposing penalties for violations to protect residential tenants under PA's Landlord-Tenant Act.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Community Development Landlords Tenant Rights

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passed · Pennsylvania · House May 1, 2026

HB 344: An Act amending the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known as The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, in creation of leases, statute of frauds and mortgaging of leaseholds, providing for parking provisions in lease.

HB 344 amends Pennsylvania's Landlord and Tenant Act to require landlords to disclose parking availability and associated fees in rental leases. Landlords must state whether parking is provided, if a fee applies, and the exact amount - prohibiting fee increases during the lease term. Tenants can file complaints with lower courts (e.g., district justice) if landlords fail to comply, and landlords violating the rules must reimburse tenants for parking costs incurred. This directly affects landlords and tenants in Pennsylvania rental agreements involving parking.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRequiring parking fee disclosure and prohibiting lease-term increases strengthens tenant protections under housing topic, aligning with tenant rights indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Tenant Rights

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