Advocates in Erie, Pennsylvania Successfully Pass Tenants Bill of Rights Including Just Cause Eviction Standards

Earlier this year a coalition of advocates in Erie, Pennsylvania celebrated the adoption of a city-wide Tenant Bill of Rights. The ordinance, which was unanimously passed by the Erie city council, clarifies many existing federal and state tenant protections and codifies new just cause eviction protections for the city which limits the reasons for which landlords can evict tenants. Erie is now the second municipality in Pennsylvania to enact just cause eviction standards for tenants. Advocates hope the legislation will make it easier for tenants to understand their rights and establish a common framework for how these rights are enforced. 

The Tenant Bill of Rights is required to be distributed to tenants by landlords in all rental lease agreements and renewals and is required to be published on the City of Erie website, along with guidance to landlords and tenants regarding compliance requirements. The specific rights outlined in Erie’s Tenant Bill of Rights include: 

1. The right to safe and sanitary housing
2. The right to reasonable accommodations for tenants with disabilities
3. The right to a returned security deposit and application fee
4. The right to clear and fair leases
5. The right to transparent and fair utility costs
6. The right to residential privacy
7. The right to service maintenance and inspection
8. The right to a fair hearing
9. The right to organize
10. The right to just cause eviction, with acceptable grounds for eviction including nonpayment of rent, violation of lease terms, illegal activity and/or criminal behavior, end of lease/refusal to renew on new terms, owner move-in or family occupancy, significant renovations and/or repairs, and the sale of the property 

Advocacy to create the Tenant Bill of Rights was led by the Erie Spiritual Coalition, a group of spiritually grounded residents who strive to bridge the gap between people, organizations, and government by advocating for policies that foster human flourishing and thriving communities. Recognizing that poor housing conditions and housing instability were at the core of many problems faced by residents, the coalition organized for a year to better understand the challenges and build support for solutions, which resulted in drafting the Tenant Bill of Rights. They held community meetings, canvassed throughout the city, spoke to renters, gave public presentations, engaged with the media, and worked with students and faculty at Mercyhurst University. The coalition was also influenced by the Biden-Harris Administration’s launch of a Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights. They worked with City Counselor Tyler Titus to strengthen, sponsor, and champion the Tenant Bill of Rights, which ultimately passed unanimously by the City Council on Jan 8. 

During their organizing for the Tenant Bill of Rights, the Erie Spiritual Coalition also advocated for other housing issues, including greater public input in how the City of Erie allocates its funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Coalition leaders say that their members feel really energized and motivated to get engaged locally right now. The listserv has grown to more than 125 people and new teams have been created to assist with research, alliance building, and organizing neighbors. This work has also sparked conversation and policy changes in other areas, including establishing a vacancy fee and updating zoning regulations. 

“The ordinance passed because lots of community members came out over the course of months to support this initiative,” said the Very Rev. Melinda Hall of the Erie Spiritual Coalition, an NLIHC member. “We hope it is a step towards more conversation and legislation that addresses the poor rental housing conditions many of our neighbors are forced to live in. We look forward to building on that momentum as we embark on a summer of being present at city events and offering educational presentations in community spaces.” 

The power imbalance between renters and landlords continues to put renters at greater risk of housing instability, eviction, harassment, and homelessness, fueling racial inequities. Clear, strong, and enforceable renter protections are needed at all levels to protect renters for abusive and predatory actions by landlords. NLIHC has tracked more than 400 state and local tenant protections passed since 2021 and works in various ways to support state and local partners in advancing, implementing, and enforcing tenant protections. Additionally, NLIHC encourages advocates, organizations, and policymakers to endorse the National Tenants Bill of Rights, a comprehensive policy agenda to ensure essential rights are guaranteed for the nation’s 114 million renters.