Montgomery County Bill Would Extend Renter Protections

• July 14th 2021

by Nena Perry-Brown

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As the DC Council voted yesterday on how to phase out some Covid-related renter protections, the Montgomery County Council introduced a bill that would extend them.

Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando introduced Bill 30-21 on Tuesday that would, among other things, maintain the freeze on rent increases and continue prohibiting late fees from being charged. Right now, these protections would end 90 days after the public health emergency; the bill would extend the protections for another nine months. 

The renter protection measures were previously passed last spring as part of the COVID-19 Renter Relief Act, whose provisions applied retroactively from the beginning of the emergency. Bill 30-21 would also extend the validity of the Renter Relief Act from 180 days after the end of the emergency to 18 months after.

"Many of our residents who lost jobs are behind on rent, bills and are searching for employment and stability," Councilmember Jawando said in a statement. "Bill 30-21 will provide critical relief to help folks remain stable in their homes as we recover.”

The Council will hold a public hearing on the bill in September.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/montgomery-county-bill-would-extend-some-renter-protections-further/18492.