Municipal Housing Code Enforcement and Low-Income Tenants

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Abstract
Municipal housing code enforcement often leads to rent increases, tenant moves to lower cost housing, evictions, and reduction in the low-rent housing stock, and thus may harm low-income tenants more than it helps them. A tenant-oriented approach to code enforcement would acknowledge these defects and not permit “market realities” (that is, the owner's economic capabilities and motivations) to dictate enforcement practices and policies. Subsidies and controls that help low-income families afford decent housing must complement the state's legal requirement that all housing units meet code standards. A proposal is put forth for rehabilitation and rent subsidies, controls on rents, and changes in ownership and control of rental property to be used in coordination with housing code enforcement. The importance of full participation of tenants and tenant organizations is stressed in all phases of this new approach to code enforcement.