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Critical eviction and rent protections pass the House on second reading
DENVER, CO– The House today advanced Representatives Dominique Jackson and Iman Jodeh’s critical legislation to provide renters with additional protections before facing eviction and limit the frequency of rent increases.
“Today we took an important step toward ensuring justice in the renter-landlord relationship and limiting unaffordable rent hikes that can devastate tenants,” said Rep. Dominique Jackson, D-Aurora. “Far too often, renters in Colorado are at the mercy of their landlords. This bill stands up for renters by giving them more time before law enforcement takes action in an eviction, limiting rent increases to once a year, and requiring landlords to give people without a written rental agreement at least 60 days notice before raising rent.”
“With so many Colorado families living on the verge of housing insecurity or homelessness, it’s more important than ever to build back stronger and protect Colorado’s renters,” said Rep. Iman Jodeh, D-Aurora. “Far too many families and people of color in my community and across the state live in fear of an eviction or a rent hike that will put them out on the street. The bill we advanced today will give renters necessary and common-sense protections under the law, like preventing monthly rent hikes and giving families facing eviction more time to find accommodations.”
HB21-1121 would provide renters with additional time before law enforcement can assist in an eviction. It also prohibits residential landlords from increasing rent more than once in a 12 month period and increases the notification timeline for rent increases when there is not a written tenancy agreement, for example, under a month-to-month agreement.
Under current law, if a landlord wins a judgement in an eviction action, the court must wait 48 hours to direct the county sheriff to assist in the eviction, which provides a minimum of two days between an eviction order and the actual sheriff-assisted eviction. Under the bill, courts can still finalize an eviction order, but sheriffs may not carry it out for an additional eight days after the initial 48 hours, providing renters with 10 days before they have to move out and find a new home after an eviction has been finalized, instead of two.
Under current law, when there is month-to-month tenancy where there is no written agreement, landlords must give 21 days written notice prior to increasing the rent; the bill extends the notice period to 60 days.