Stable Homes Act
Sponsored By: Representative Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5]
Introduced
Summary
Prevent evictions through pre-filing diversion. This bill would create a federal pilot that funds local governments to run time-limited pre-filing eviction diversion programs with standardized notices, early dispute resolution, and reporting.
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- Tenants and families: Requires written notice about diversion rights and access to mediation, housing counseling, or rental assistance before filings. Tenants whose income is at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty line would have a right to free counsel if the landlord is represented.
- Local governments and service providers: Makes units of general local government eligible for grants to establish or expand diversion programs and allows HUD to provide technical assistance and model forms. Recipients must submit annual reports on cases, costs, representation, landlord types, and aggregated tenant demographics.
- Landlords, courts, and oversight: When a tenant opts in, landlords and tenants must act in good faith for at least 30 days before filing. Landlord noncompliance can be raised as a defense in court and the Inspector General must perform at least two assessments of the pilot.
*Would authorize $300 million per year from 2026 through 2030, totaling $1.5 billion and increasing federal spending over that period.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Eviction diversion pilot for renters
This bill would create a HUD pilot to fund local pre-filing eviction diversion programs. HUD would have to start the pilot within one year and it would end on December 31, 2030. It would authorize $300 million a year for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 to give grants to units of general local government to start or expand diversion services. Programs would require written landlord notice, a 30-day good-faith participation period, mediation and rental-assistance connections, tenant defenses for landlord noncompliance, and free counsel for tenants at or below 200% of the Federal poverty line when the landlord has a lawyer. Grant recipients would report to HUD annually, HUD would summarize reports to relevant congressional committees, and the HUD Inspector General would do at least two assessments during the pilot.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5]
PA • D
Cosponsors
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 8/20/2026
Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4]
PA • D
Sponsored 8/20/2026
Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44]
CA • D
Sponsored 8/20/2026
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 8/20/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov