Lauren Andreoli

The Housing Committee advanced the Safe Healthy Homes bills on March 30, 2026, despite serious concerns about transparency, undisclosed amendments, and limited opportunity for meaningful public participation.

Bills 250329 (Right to Repairs) and 250330 (Right to Safety) are now heading to full City Council. The earliest vote is April 16, leaving a short window for housing providers to respond.

What happened:
• The bills were pushed forward through a process that raises serious concerns about violations of open meeting and public participation laws
• Amendments were not clearly disclosed before the vote
• Meaningful public input was limited or excluded

What these bills do in practical terms:
• Require “good cause” to terminate or not renew a lease, eliminating your ability to decide whether to continue a tenancy at the end of a lease
• Prevent you from collecting rent if your license lapses, even due to city delays, and may require refunds
• Create automatic liability of $1,000 to $3,000 per violation
• Trigger presumptions that can force full rent repayment
• Expand inspections across all rental units

Why this matters:
These bills do not simply regulate housing. They fundamentally change your rights as a property owner.

• The “good cause” requirement forces ongoing landlord tenant relationships, even when a lease naturally ends
• They rewrite lease agreements that are already in place, stripping out terms you legally negotiated
• They shift control away from property owners and expose you to significant legal and financial risk regardless of intent

These are not minor policy changes. They raise serious constitutional law concerns, including interference with existing contracts, loss of property rights without compensation, and lack of due process.

For many small housing providers, this level of risk and uncertainty is not sustainable. The likely result is forced exit from the market, reduced housing supply, and negative impacts on the very communities that depend on this housing.

What you can do:
• Show up on April 16, visibility matters
• Contact your Councilmember and demand transparency, lawful process, and real public input
• Share this with other housing providers

More updates coming. Stay tuned.

A settlement has been reached in the lawsuit filed by two Hapco members, which Hapco Philadelphia supported. As a result, City Council will not vote on the Safe Healthy Homes bills tomorrow, March 19, 2026.

The case is not over, but this settlement is an important step forward. The settlement also includes an agreement that future hearings will comply with the Sunshine Act, as required by law, which was allegedly violated by the City of Philadelphia Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development, and the Homeless.

These bills, if they are passed, would create significant burdens on housing providers by expanding good-cause eviction protections to all tenancies, imposing automatic rent abatements even for technical violations, shifting certain procedural burdens onto property owners, and requiring additional reporting and notice requirements that go beyond current law.

For small landlords in particular, these requirements could make it extremely difficult to operate and remain in business by adding extensive new compliance obligations and overregulating the rental industry.

Thank you to everyone who attended Hapco Philadelphia’s Educational Session on March 4.

We appreciate those of you who joined us for an informative evening. Special thanks to our speakers, Igor Aybin and Eileen Gray, for sharing their insights and expertise with our members.

Please see the presentations from the session below.

Click here for Igor’s Presentation

Click here for Eileen’s Presentation

If you were unable to attend, you can still review the materials and learn from the information shared during the event.

We hope to see you at our next educational session!

The hearing on the Safe Healthy Homes bills, originally scheduled last month, has been rescheduled.

Councilmember Nicolas O’Rourke’s Safe Healthy Homes bills will go before City Council on:

📅 March 4, 2026
⏰ 10:00 AM
📍 Room 400, City Hall, Philadelphia

Because these measures could substantially affect rental property owners, housing providers are strongly encouraged to testify and ensure their real-world experiences are part of the discussion.

How to Testify

Housing providers who wish to testify should:

• Email mary.jones@phila.gov directly with your name and email address.

• Follow this format

• If unable to attend in person, written testimony may be submitted to the same email address.

• Clearly state in your message that you are a housing provider.

Participation is open to all housing providers — you do not need to be a Hapco member to testify. For additional questions, contact: hapcooffice@hapcophiladelphia.com . If you submitted testimony for the previously scheduled hearing, please reply to the same email thread to mary.jones@phila.gov and include the following statement:

“Please consider my testimony from last month for the upcoming March 4 hearing on the same bills.”

Below is the most up-to-date legal analysis of the bills from Paul Cohen, Esq.:

• This bill allows for good-cause eviction to apply to all tenancies, not just for tenancies under one year.  Note that the law regarding good-cause evictions only for tenancies under one year was previously negotiated and agreed to by the various landlord organizations, tenant organizations and City Council.  It is disingenuous to now change what was already agreed to as a compromise.
• Providing for an abatement of rent for any period during which rent was collected and the owner was noncompliant as defined in Section 9-3903.  Note that noncompliance is defined as the failure to obtain or maintain a valid rental license or Certificate of Rental Suitability as required or whose rental license has been suspended.  This is contrary to well established legal precedent.
• Requiring the owner provide notice to the tenant of any notice of an L&I violation or rental license suspension within seven (7) days of receipt thereof, even though the owner has thirty (30) days to take an appeal.
• Authorizing the Department to establish a proactive inspection program is too open-ended.  The Department can be authorized to “recommend” an inspection program that should then be vetted and approved.
• Placing the burden of proof on the rental property owner to prove there was compliance with the requirements for issuance of a Certificate of Rental Suitability.  If the tenant raises this as a defense, the burden of proving that defense should be on the tenant.
• Licenses should be effective from the date of application of the license, not the date specified on the license. There are times when owners are unable to get a license because of an issue with L&I, eClipse, a delay in processing, or some other reason that is beyond the owner’s control.  In those instances, the owner should not be denied the right to collect rent since the delay is not their fault.
• Minor notices of violation should not prevent an owner from obtaining a license.  Only habitability or life-threatening violations should apply.
• If an owner loses an appeal from a violation, they should be given an opportunity to correct the violation or take a further appeal before their license is suspended.
• The owner should not have to obtain another Certificate of Rental Suitability at any time.  This is contrary to the law as it is written and was agreed to in a Consent Decree between the landlord and tenant organizations and the City.
• The owner should not have to “attest” to the Department and the tenants regarding the condition of the property.  This language was specifically negotiated and agreed to in a consent decree that was issued between the landlord and tenant organizations and the City.
• If an owner’s rental license is suspended or revoked, what is the procedure for the owner to get their rental license reinstated?
• The law regarding the warranty of habitability and the available remedies for a breach thereof has been well established in Pennsylvania since Pugh v. Holmes, in 1978.  There is no need to rewrite the law.  Moreover, this bill is not a “codification” of the existing law.  The requirements in the bill are unrealistic and the penalties are extreme.  It will end up putting many good landlords out of business and will make it almost impossible for a small landlord to stay in business.

⚠️ Special Note: Join our Emergency Ask the Attorney Session on March 3 at 12:30 PM to get fully prepared before the City Council hearing.

REGISTER HERE!

Hapco Members: Blue Bucket Sale is Back!

We’re excited to let our members know that the Sherwin-Williams Blue Bucket Sale is back! From March 9–13, 2026, you can take advantage of some of the biggest savings of the year on essential paints, stains, and supplies.

Blue Bucket Savings:

• 35% off select paints, stains, and supplies in store

• 40% off when shopping online or through the Sherwin-Williams Pro+ App

• Use promo code: BUCKET26

Hapco Members: Don’t forget you can also take advantage of Hapco’s ongoing Sherwin-Williams discount program year-round.

Hapco Member Password: hapco2025

Plan ahead, stock up, and save on the supplies you need to keep your properties in top shape!

The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) has issued an RFP for VASH Project‑Based Vouchers (PBVs) to expand stable, service‑supported housing for Veterans experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia. PHA is seeking qualified owners and developers interested in partnering with PHA and the local VA Medical Center to provide high‑quality units supported by VA case management and clinical services.

VA Priority Preferences Include:
• Senior housing or developments serving single, non‑elderly Veterans
• Strong preference for one‑bedroom units
• Existing, move‑in‑ready units to support rapid lease‑up
• ADA‑compliant units, first‑floor/no‑step entries, and elevator access
• Scattered‑site units and rowhomes are not preferred

Mandatory Virtual Pre‑Proposal Conference:
Friday, February 13, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. (WebEx)
RSVP: Jacquelyn.DiBruno@pha.phila.gov

Full RFP materials and submission instructions are available at [www.pha.phila.gov]www.pha.phila.gov  under Business Opportunities.
RFP submissions are due March 6, 2026 at 11:00 a.m.