Housing FIRST Act

This bill changes the Fair Credit Reporting Act to set rules for background reports that landlords use to screen renters. Companies that provide these tenant screening reports could not include arrest records, juvenile records, non-criminal citations, completed diversion programs, convictions for which the sentence is finished or the person is on probation or parole, offenses tied to unpaid court or incarceration fees, or records that were sealed, expunged, or pardoned. Landlords would have to get the renter's permission and follow notice rules similar to those for employment background checks. A landlord who denies housing or takes other adverse action based on a report would have to notify the renter within 3 days and give the specific reasons, including the information in the report that led to the decision. The bill also removes the current exception that lets old criminal convictions stay on consumer reports past the usual time limit.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Ayanna Pressley Democrat sponsor
• 20 cosponsors