Issue
Just Cause evictions allow housing providers to evict a resident for only reasons that are stated under the law. This includes:
- Nonpayment of rent
- Lease violations that are not corrected after receiving notice from the housing provider
- Criminal activity on the property
- Property damage
- Affecting the safety of other residents
- Unit owner wants to demolish, substantially rehabilitate or remove the unit
For property owners, just cause evictions eliminates the right to serve a nonrenewal notice at the end of the lease term. The owner would need to show cause for the eviction, and then receive a court order to terminate a lease. Obtaining cause is reliant on testimony from other residents in the building, which can lead to hostile relationships between residents and property owners.
Legislative History
On Friday, September 17, the Housing and Real Estate Committee had a Subject Matter Hearing on Just Cause Evictions, where both opponents and proponents get to explain the matter to the legislators. Our government affairs director, and other industry stakeholders, made statements on the matter during this hearing.
Our Stance
REALTORS® oppose just cause eviction laws, as it does not protect tenants; instead, it threatens to further burden the process of renting available housing to those in need and adds additional costs and risks to property owners already operating in an expensive, highly regulated environment.