TENANT SCREENING ARTICLE INDEX FOR 2023 FROM THE BACKGROUND BUZZ |
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Status of Rental Legislation Outlined in Olympia, Washington State
February | Washington: There have been several forms of rental legislation covered in Washington state, all pertaining to tenant rights.
U.S. House Bill Proposes Excluding Pandemic Evictions from Consumer Reports
February | National: The Keeping Evictions Off Credit Reports Act was introduced in the House of Representatives, seeking to prohibit evictions due to the pandemic from appearing on consumer reports.
Alameda County to Ban Criminal Background Checks of Would-Be Rental Housing Tenants
February | Washington: The Wilma Chan Fair Chance Housing ordinance prohibits public and private property owners from using a criminal background check when evaluating an applicant.
March | National: The CFPB and FTC have issued an RFI seeking comment on how the use of criminal background and eviction algorithms affect tenant screening decisions.
HUD Reinstates 2013 Fair Housing Act Disparate Impact Rule
March | National: The US Department of HUD has issued a final rule reinstating the 2013 version of its disparate impact rule under the FHA.
CheckpointID and IDScan Move BIPA Case to US Federal Court to Keep Lid on Damages
April | Illinois: A state resident claims ID verification services violated his rights under the BIPA when applying for rental housing in Chicago.
Ninth Circuit Guts Seattle Ban on Criminal Checks for Potential Tenants
April | Washington: The Ninth Circuit has reversed a lower court’s ruling and held that Seattle’s Fair Chance Housing Ordinance encroached on a landlord’s First Amendment’s rights.
Payscore, a Startup That Helps Property Managers and Car Dealerships Verify Income, Raises $2.2M
April | National: Payscore, which aims to help users get a better understanding of a customer’s ability to cover rent or other recurring payments, has raised $2.2 million.
Pa. Senate Democrat Proposes Series of Bills to Increase Housing Accessibility
April | Pennsylvania: A series of proposals aims to increase housing accessibility and make finding affordable housing easier by removing some barriers to renters and low-income homeowners in PA.
April | National: Rently has partnered with TURSS to provide single-family property managers with an automated leasing application.
Lawsuit Claims HHI Apartments’ Faulty Applicant Screening Led to 2020 Assault of Child
June | North Carolina: The mother of a young assault victim is suing Hilton Head Gardens apartment complex, claiming its faulty applicant screening led to the incident against her daughter.
Civil Practice – Protective Order – Anonymity
July | Oregon: In a case against Rentgrow, Inc., the plaintiff claimed the company violated the FCRA when it provided a tenant screening report containing a criminal arrest record that had been sealed.
New Legislation Could Change CT Renters’ Rights. Here’s How
July | Connecticut; Senate Bill 998 offers renters several protections, including anti-discrimination rules, adjustments to application fees and security deposit processes, and the removal of some online eviction case records.
FTC Recommends Use of Written Adverse Action Notices by Housing Providers
August | National: The FTC has issued a reminder to landlords: Under the FCRA you must provide notice of adverse action when information leads to a denial or the applicant to pay a fee others would not have to pay.
Tenant Screening Company Subject to FHA
August | Massachusetts: A federal judge has ruled that a tenant screening algorithm is subject to the FHA, including its ban on racial discrimination in housing.
Lawsuit, Faulty Algorithms Stop Jacksonville Renters from Finding Homes
September | Florida: A woman in Jacksonville, along with three other residents, filed a federal lawsuit claiming faulty tenant-credit algorithms have fueled civil rights violations.
September | National: The FTC will require TruthFinder and Instant Checkmate to pay $5.8 million to settle charges that they deceived consumers about whether consumers had criminal records, violating the FCRA.
AI is Used to Discriminate Against Renters, a Chicago-Area Housing Group Says in Lawsuit
October | Illinois: Open Communities has filed a lawsuit against Harbor Group Management, alleging discrimination against Black renters using AI.
New Report Examines the Harm of Tenant Screening on Renters
October | National: The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) has issued a report that shows the automated screening of rental applicants disproportionately harms Black and Latino/Hispanic renters.
Newsome Signs Legislation on ‘Crime Free Housing’ Policies
October | California: Legislation has been signed that addresses “crime-free housing” policies.
CFPB, FTC Fine TransUnion $23M for Tenant Screening and Security Freeze Failures
October | National: TransUnion will pay $23 million for tenant screening and security freeze failures and a failure to take steps to ensure rental background checks were accurate.
Snappt Enhances Fraud Detection with New ID Verification Solution
November | National: Snappt has introduced a new solution for authenticating prospective tenants.
Truework Announces Income Verification Solution for Tenant Screening
November | National: Truework’s latest tool will allow property managers to automate more verifications with direct-to-source data to avoid payment issues, mitigate fraud and reduce evictions.
New FEHA Regulations After How, When Employers Can Consider Applicant’s Criminal Histories
December | California: New regulations have been issued that modify the FEHA, prohibiting employers from inquiring into a job applicant’s criminal history prior to a conditional offer of employment.