Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Chair of the first ever Congressional Renters Caucus, applauded President Biden’s announcement at a quarterly meeting of his Competition Council that the administration is cracking down on rental junk fees.

“Rental housing fees are a serious burden on renters, who are often already paying exorbitant housing costs. I welcome this step from President Biden to increase transparency for customers and crack down on these hidden costs. In my district, where 78% of households rent, this will make a noticeable difference in my constituents’ lives,” said Rep. Gomez. “The Renters Caucus will continue working with the Administration to prioritize renters’ needs over predatory corporations.”

The President outlined several new, concrete steps in the Administration’s effort to crack down on rental junk fees and lower costs for renters, including:

• New commitments from major rental housing platforms—Zillow, Apartments.com, and AffordableHousing.com—who have answered the President’s call for transparency and will provide consumers with total, upfront cost information on rental properties, which can be hundreds of dollars on top of the advertised rent;
• New research from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which provides a blueprint for a nationwide effort to address rental housing junk fees; and
• Legislative action in states across the country—from Connecticut to California—who are joining the Administration in its effort to crack down on rental housing fees and protect consumers.

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