Landlord Accountability Act of 2025

The Landlord Accountability Act of 2025 aims to strengthen tenant protections and promote fair housing by amending the Fair Housing Act. Its central provision prohibits discrimination based on "source of income," expanding protected classes to ensure individuals are not denied housing due to how they pay rent. This broad definition of "source of income" includes the use of federal, state, or local housing assistance, such as Section 8 vouchers, as well as income from Social Security, court orders, trusts, and savings. To enhance landlord accountability, the bill introduces significant penalties for certain actions. Owners who intentionally render dwelling units substandard to disqualify them from federal housing assistance programs face a $100,000 civil money penalty per violation, along with liability to tenants for damages. Additionally, owners of multifamily housing projects who intentionally leave HUD-qualifying units vacant for more than 60 days will incur a $100,000 civil money penalty for every 30 days the unit remains vacant. The legislation mandates the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to improve its complaint resolution mechanisms. This includes increasing staffing for the Multifamily Housing Complaint Line and establishing a new Multifamily Housing Complaint Resolution Program specifically for voucher users and local officials. HUD will also be required to publicly disclose information about these complaints on its website, including the nature, date, disposition, and identifying details of the housing project. To encourage property maintenance, the bill creates a new Low-Income Housing Maintenance Credit , a tax incentive for landlords who own eligible low-income housing projects and promptly address tenant complaints. Furthermore, it requires owners of HUD-assisted multifamily housing to publicly display notices detailing tenants' federal rights and contact information for complaint lines. The bill also authorizes $25 million annually for grants to support tenant harassment prevention programs, offering legal assistance, counseling, and education to protect tenants.