Bill > H2022

This bill introduces comprehensive tenant protection legislation that prohibits evictions without good cause in cities, towns, municipalities, or districts that choose to adopt it. The bill defines key terms like "housing accommodation," "landlord," and "tenant," and establishes specific conditions under which a landlord can legally evict a tenant. Good cause for eviction is narrowly defined and includes scenarios such as non-payment of rent (with protections against unreasonable rent increases), substantial lease violations, nuisance behavior, illegal use of the property, unreasonable denial of property access, and a limited number of landlord-specific circumstances like personal use or property demolition. The bill provides significant protections for tenants, including those who are 65 or older or have disabilities, and allows tenants to sue for damages if a landlord fraudulently claims certain reasons for eviction. Notably, the law does not apply to small landlords (those with 10 or fewer units), owner-occupied properties, certain specialized housing types like dormitories and healthcare facilities, and units with rent above a specific percentage of fair market rent. Importantly, any lease agreement attempting to waive these tenant protections would be automatically considered void.

Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H2022