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119-s-5535119th CongressWALLET

Eviction Crisis Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Senator Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]

Introduced

Summary

A national eviction database and housing-stability grants would give the federal government tools to track evictions and help renters avoid homelessness. The bill would fund eviction-diversion programs, set up HUD emergency assistance grants for very low-income households, and change tenant screening rules.

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  • Families and renters: Very low-income households could get short-term help for rent, arrears, and related costs limited to 4 months within any 3-year period, with possible extensions up to 12 months during major disasters or high unemployment. The program also allows payments to landlords and service providers and requires grantees to offer housing-stability services.
  • Tenants and records: A centralized National Evictions Database would collect detailed case-level and aggregate eviction data, including demographics and 90-day post-eviction status. Consumer reporting agencies would have to give rental applicants a copy of their tenant report and count tenant-favorable eviction judgments in screening.
  • Courts, legal aid, and local governments: The Attorney General, through the Bureau of Justice Assistance, would make grants for eviction-diversion programs and landlord-tenant community courts and require matching funds. The bill urges substantially increased Legal Services Corporation support to expand tenant representation and requires regular data reporting to feed the national database.

*This bill would authorize $3.0 billion for HUD housing-stability grants for fiscal years 2027–2031 and includes additional unspecified appropriations, indicating a net increase in federal spending.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Emergency rent help for low-income renters

If enacted, the bill would create competitive grants to help very low-income households at risk of eviction. Grants would pay rent and rent arrears, utilities and energy, application fees, security deposits, relocation costs, and other housing-related expenses. Assistance would normally cover arrears and up to 4 months in any 3-year period, with up to a 3-month extension if needed; that limit could rise to 12 months (plus a 3-month extension) when unemployment is high or a Stafford Act disaster or emergency applies. Grantees could use up to 15% of funds for housing-stability services and up to 10% for administration. The program would avoid treating this assistance as income or a resource for means-tested federal, state, local, or tribal benefits. Up to $10 million of FY2027 funds could be used for a rigorous program evaluation.

National eviction database and studies

If enacted, HUD would have 1 year to build a national eviction database covering court-ordered, administrative, and illegal evictions. The database would collect case-level and aggregate data, require annual court reporting (State attorneys general would submit prior-year data by March 1 or court clerks could do so if an attorney general does not), and exclude personally identifiable information from public reports. The bill would create privacy safeguards for survivors and would prohibit using the database to decide whether someone qualifies for a program. It would also fund grants to collect illegal-eviction data and require a government study and report on eviction trends and program outcomes 5–6 years after enactment.

Rental screening report protections

If enacted, the bill would require consumer reporting agencies to give rental applicants a copy of any tenant screening report used to evaluate their application. The bill would also add eviction judgments and related suits decided in the tenant's favor to the list of items handled under the statute that limits how long certain records may be reported. These changes would help applicants review screening information and reduce long-term reporting harms when tenants win eviction cases.

Does not stop lawful evictions

If enacted, the bill would state that nothing in the Act may be read to prevent a landlord from filing or carrying out an eviction for a lawful reason. It would also state that the bill does not change the standards used to decide violations of the Fair Housing Act. The clause preserves existing landlord eviction authority while leaving fair housing rules unchanged.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]

CO • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Young, Todd [R-IN]

    IN • R

    Sponsored 9/24/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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