Unlocking Our Housing Futures: Tenant Screening and Fair Housing

May 2, 2023
10:30 am PT / 1:30 pm ET

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Too many people struggle to find housing because of the oppressive policies, bad data, and unfounded predictions that landlords use to screen potential tenants. These tenant screening practices reinforce housing discrimination by using records created by racist and ableist systems to keep people from accessing stable and dignified homes. For example, the mere presence of an eviction record on a tenant screening report or in a public court database can completely derail a prospective tenant’s chances of accessing safe, adequate, and affordable housing. Recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) requested information from the public about the housing application and background check process, or “tenant screening.” They need to hear about real people’s experiences applying for housing, so that they can protect people from harmful, discriminatory practices, and make it easier to get housing. Learn more about tenant screening, the RFI from CFPB and FTC, and explores the best ways to tell your own story and shape policy to protect our housing futures.

Featured Speakers:

• Natasha Duarte, Upturn
• Mariah de Leon, Upturn
• Rasheedah Phillips, PolicyLink
• Jasmine Rangel, PolicyLink