Bill > H1138

This bill authorizes municipalities to protect low and moderate-income tenants and units of "governmentally-involved housing," which refers to residential properties built, improved, or supported by various federal and state housing programs designed to ensure affordability. The bill aims to address a housing emergency by preventing the loss of affordable housing stock due to expiring subsidies or rent restrictions, and it establishes specific grounds under which a landlord can evict a tenant from such housing, generally requiring a tenant to fail to pay rent, violate lease terms, cause damage, or use the unit for illegal purposes. Furthermore, it requires municipalities to grant permission before a property can be removed from low-income rental housing use and mandates that owners seek out and accept government housing resources to maintain affordability, while also allowing municipalities to establish local preferences for admission to these housing units. The bill also outlines penalties for violations and provides for judicial review of municipal decisions.