I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5072 
To create an equitable and stable rental housing market, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 13, 2019 
Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ (for herself, Ms. MENG, Ms. TLAIB, Mr. GARCI´A of Illi-
nois, and Ms. LEE of California) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the 
Committees on the Judiciary, and Transportation and Infrastructure, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To create an equitable and stable rental housing market, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘A Just Society: A 
Place to Prosper Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. OBLIGATIONS OF LANDLORDS. 
(a) OBLIGATIONS.—A covered landlord— 
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(1) may not, when a residential lease expires, 
increase monthly rent by an amount greater than 
the percentage increase, if any, over the preceding 
12 months in the Consumer Price Index for All 
Urban Consumers or 3 percent of the average 
monthly amount paid for the same unit for each 
month that the unit was occupied during the pre-
vious 12-month period, whichever is greater; 
(2) may not initiate eviction proceedings or 
threaten a tenant with eviction, except in the case 
that— 
(A) the tenant has failed to pay rent for 2 
or more consecutive months, caused substantial 
destruction to the rental property, or violated 
an explicit lease term; or 
(B) the landlord seeks to occupy the unit, 
or seeks the availability of the unit for occu-
pancy by an immediate relative; and 
(3) shall maintain each rental unit in good re-
pair (as defined under applicable State and local 
codes). 
(b) ENFORCEMENT.— 
(1) CIVIL ACTION AUTHORIZED.—A tenant may 
file a civil action in the appropriate district court of 
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the United States against a covered landlord who 
violates subsection (a). 
(2) LEASE PROVISION VOID.—Any lease provi-
sion that waives the right of a tenant to file a civil 
action under this subsection is void. 
(3) ENFORCEMENT BY STATE ATTORNEY GEN-
ERAL.—The attorney general of the State may file 
a civil action in the appropriate district court of the 
United States on behalf of a resident of the State 
whose covered landlord violated subsection (a) to— 
(A) enjoin further violations; 
(B) obtain damages on behalf of such resi-
dent in an amount that does not exceed ten 
times the sum of the monthly rent amounts 
specified on the most recent lease agreement for 
each such resident; and 
(C) in the case of a covered landlord 
against whom a court has ruled in 2 or more 
civil actions under this subsection, obtain addi-
tional punitive damages in an amount not to ex-
ceed three times the amount of actual damages 
suffered by resident. 
(4) GOOD
FAITH
EFFORTS
CONSIDERED.—In 
any civil action under this subsection, the court shall 
consider, for purposes of awarding damages, a cov-
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ered landlord’s good faith effort or attempt to com-
ply with the subsection (a). 
(c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall prevent a State or local government from impos-
ing lower limits on rent increases or additional obligations 
on landlords. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘covered landlord’’ means entity 
that owns or holds a controlling interest in more 
than 5 residential properties or more than 2 manu-
factured housing parks. 
(2) The term ‘‘rent’’ includes any payment 
made by a tenant to a landlord, with respect to 
which the failure to pay may authorize the landlord 
to initiate eviction proceedings, except that such 
term does not include any utility which is paid by 
the landlord on behalf of the tenant. 
SEC. 3. FUNDING FOR ACCESS TO COUNSEL. 
(a) GRANT PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Housing 
and Urban Development is authorized to make grants to 
State and local governments to establish a right to counsel 
for tenants in eviction proceedings. 
(b) APPLICATION.—The chief executive officer of a 
State or unit of local government seeking a grant under 
this section shall submit an application to the Secretary 
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of Housing and Urban Development at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
may reasonably require, including an assurance that the 
funds will be used in accordance with subsection (c). 
(c) USES OF FUNDS.—A State or unit of local gov-
ernment receiving a grant under this section shall use not 
less than 85 percent of such funds to provide counsel for 
tenants in eviction proceedings. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated $6,500,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2021 through 2030 to carry out this section. 
SEC. 4. PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF 
SOURCE OF INCOME. 
(a) FAIR HOUSING ACT.—The Fair Housing Act (42 
U.S.C. 3601 et seq.) is amended— 
(1) in section 802 (42 U.S.C. 3602), by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(p) ‘Source of income’ includes— 
‘‘(1) a housing voucher under section 8 of the 
United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 
1437f) and any form of Federal, State, or local 
housing assistance provided to a family or provided 
to a housing owner on behalf of a family, including 
rental vouchers, rental assistance, and rental sub-
sidies from nongovernmental organizations; 
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‘‘(2) income received during a taxable year as 
Social Security benefits, as defined in section 86(d) 
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or as supple-
mental security income benefits under title XVI of 
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.); 
‘‘(3) income received by court order, including 
spousal support and child support; 
‘‘(4) any payment from a trust, guardian, or 
conservator; and 
‘‘(5) any other lawful source of income.’’; 
(2) in section 804 (42 U.S.C. 3604), by insert-
ing ‘‘source of income,’’ after ‘‘familial status,’’ each 
place that term appears; 
(3) in section 805 (42 U.S.C. 3605)— 
(A) in subsection (a), by inserting ‘‘source 
of income,’’ after ‘‘familial status,’’; and 
(B) in subsection (c), by inserting ‘‘source 
of income,’’ after ‘‘handicap,’’; 
(4) in section 806 (42 U.S.C. 3606), by insert-
ing ‘‘source of income,’’ after ‘‘familial status,’’; and 
(5) in section 808(e)(6) (42 U.S.C. 3608(e)(6)), 
by inserting ‘‘source of income,’’ after ‘‘handicap,’’. 
(b) CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1968.—Section 901 of the 
Civil Rights Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3631) is amended 
by inserting ‘‘source of income (as defined in section 
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802)’’, before ‘‘or national origin’’ each place that term 
appears. 
SEC. 5. REMOVING TOXINS FROM HOMES. 
There 
is 
authorized 
to 
be 
appropriated 
$10,000,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 
2029 for activities of the Office of Lead Hazard Control 
and Healthy Homes of the Department of Housing and 
Urban Development. Of any amounts appropriated in each 
such fiscal year pursuant to this section— 
(1) 75 percent shall be available only for car-
rying out the Lead Hazard Reduction Program au-
thorized by section 1011 of the Residential Lead- 
Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 (42 
U.S.C. 4852); and 
(2) 25 percent shall be available only for car-
rying out the Healthy Homes Initiative, pursuant to 
sections 501 and 502 of the Housing and Urban De-
velopment Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 1701z–1, 1701z– 
2), which shall include research, studies, testing, and 
demonstration efforts, including education and out-
reach concerning lead-based paint poisoning and 
other housing-related diseases and hazards. 
SEC. 6. REGULATION OF MARKET-DOMINANT LANDLORDS. 
(a) DISCLOSURE.—The Secretary of Housing and 
Urban Development shall require each covered owner (as 
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