'People are really suffering': Proposal to require 'just cause' for evictions stirs debate

PROVIDENCE – Audrey Gordon broke down as she described the mouse infestations, leaking ceilings and periodic lack of heat and hot water in her Cranston apartment complex.

As a single mother of four children, she can't afford to move, even though she's working full-time in the medical industry, she told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday. Two-bedroom apartments in Warwick now rent for $2,200, she said, which is "impossible" on her budget.

And while Gordon is now part of the Elmwood Tenants Union, which is demanding repairs, others tenants fear they'll be evicted if they speak up, she said.

"There’s no reason why single moms like me should ever have to face homelessness," she said, her voice cracking with emotion.

Gordon was testifying in support of Senate Bill 2920, which would require "just cause" for evictions – a policy that's in place in several other states but faces vehement opposition from some local landlords.

"Zero landlords evict paying tenants who are respectful, who abide by the lease, for no reason," Andy Cotton of Stonelink Property Management told the committee. "It’s not possible."

'People are really suffering'

There are a few "circumstantial reasons" why a landlord might want to evict a tenant, Cotton acknowledged. For instance, one of their family members might need to move in. (The bill includes a carve-out for that scenario.) Additionally, he said, they might want to sell the building to a buyer who intends to live in one of the units.

"In most circumstances, we relocate the tenant to another unit," he said.

Jeff Manning, a local physician who acknowledged he has the privilege of being a homeowner, shared an anecdote that suggested that there might sometimes be other motivations at play.

Not too long ago, while standing in line at his neighborhood CVS, a clerk he'd become friendly with asked him if he was a lawyer, he said.

The man explained that sewage had been backing up into the toilet in his apartment, Manning said. He'd complained about it a few times and been ignored. After he complained again, he received an eviction notice.

"People are really suffering, and they do need protections," Manning said. "And I think something like this could really help them."

Bill would include rent control measure

The proposed legislation, introduced by Sen. Tiara Mack, D-Providence, would still allow landlords to evict renters who are causing a nuisance or using their apartments for illegal purposes. Tenants could also be evicted for failing to pay rent – but only if the price hasn't increased by more than 4% over the past year.

Those kinds of rent controls have to be part of any "just cause eviction" policy, testified lawyer John Karwashan.

"Without one, the other is useless," he said. Otherwise, instead of evicting a tenant, a landlord "can just say, 'Alright, I’m going to raise your rent $500.'"

Opponents of the bill argue that landlords should be allowed to decide who lives in their buildings – provided they don't violate anti-discrimination laws – and that limiting the acceptable reasons for evictions smacks of government overreach.

"The property owner has rights because they are the owner," Steve Charette of Green Property Investment said in written testimony. From his point of view, "a property owner has no obligation or duty to extend a lease and should not be forced to do so."

James Field, a renter from West Warwick, offered a contrasting perspective.

"I believe this would bring a lot of stability to people’s lives," he said. "When people feel more stable in their housing, they’ll want to build up the community they’ll been living in for a long time."

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI bill requiring "just cause" for eviction faces landlord opposition