NLIHC Calls on Congress to Support Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act Extension

On December 7, Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN) introduced a bill to expand on and make permanent landmark legislation for renters.

The Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act (PTFA), passed in 2009 and signed into law by President Obama, guarantees that banks and other new owners of rental housing after foreclosure provide at least 90 days' notice to renters living in foreclosed homes. Before PTFA was in place, tenants could be evicted from their homes with as little as a few days' notice when the property was foreclosed.

Currently, the law is scheduled to sunset in 2014. Rep. Ellison's Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act extension bill would make the legislation permanent. It would also give renters a private right of action, allowing renters whose rights under the law had been violated to bring civil action.

PTFA is notable as the first piece of legislation establishing federal protections for renters who do not receive housing assistance. The National Low Income Housing Coalition, an advocacy group, estimates that renters make up 40% of the households living in properties under foreclosure.

"Our research shows that PTFA has helped halt eviction for the vast majority of renters who have sought legal advice," said Sheila Crowley, President and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. "We know that the foreclosure crisis is far from over. Extending PTFA now and giving it teeth is the most important things we can do to keep renters in their homes during foreclosure."

NLIHC is urging Members of Congress to quickly sponsor the Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act Extension. "Supporting this bill should not give anyone pause," said Ms. Crowley. "It's a win-win for renters and communities."