The US housing crisis has been decades in the making, but combined with an inflation squeeze and a systemic shortage of affordable housing, more renters have nowhere to go. These rent hikes are effectively serving as evictions by landlords who know full well that tenants will likely have to move as a result, enabling the landlords to rent out units to new tenants at greater rates. The legislation would also have protected tenants from landlords who refuse to renew leases, except in cases of lease violations. Even with the moratorium in effect, though, many evictions continued and landlords often found other ways to push out tenants. Francis noted that gentrification and a lack of affordable housing has constantly placed low-income and vulnerable residents in the city at risk of eviction, and surging rent costs have only exacerbated the situation.

Source: The Guardian June 24, 2022 15:19 UTC