Thursday the Senate unanimously approved HB 160, by Rep. Mandie Landry, which would punish landlords who illegally evict their tenants. This issue became particularly pervasive following Hurricanes Laura, Delta, and Ida. Cashauna Hill, Executive Director of the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center, says this is a major victory for the state’s 1.4 million renters.
“Hopefully, this bill will work to provide some dignity and peace of mind for renting families after hurricanes and other disasters so that property owners think twice,” said Hill.
These protections have been a long time coming. Thirty-nine other states, including both Alabama and Texas, already had legislation in place penalizing illegal evictions. Hill says Louisiana can finally start catching up to the rest of the country.
“Louisiana really has been an outlier in the amount of power and really the impunity that we offer to property owners and it doesn’t make sense,” she said.
The legislation calls for landlords who illegally evict tenants to pay either a minimum of a $500 fine or an amount equal to two months’ rent. Hill gives plenty of credit to the tenants who made their way to the capital to tell their stories of loss and frustration.
“I’m certainly hopeful that they have the comfort of knowing that even though their situations may not be able to be changed, sharing their very difficult experiences will make a difference for millions,” Hill said.
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