10/16/2026
Eviction Crisis Act Reintroduced
Over the last few years, roughly 3.7 million eviction cases were filed annually in the United States – a rate of seven every minute.
For families struggling to afford rent across the country, a missed paycheck or unexpected medical bill can put their housing at risk. An eviction can force children to change schools, disrupt a parent’s job, and make it harder to find another place to live. Landlords also face lost rent and the cost of an eviction.
The bipartisan Eviction Crisis Act of 2026 was reintroduced in Congress on September 24, 2026 by Senators Michael Bennett (D-CO) and Todd Young (R-IN). The Act, developed through the Opportunity Starts at Home campaign, would help families get through a temporary financial crisis before they lose their homes. The bill would give communities resources to prevent avoidable evictions, improve our understanding of why evictions happen, and address barriers that keep tenants from finding stable housing.
Specifically, the Eviction Crisis Act would:
Establish a HUD grant to Help families cover emergency housing costs. Provide assistance for very low-income families and families experiencing homelessness, such as, rent and past-due rent, utilities, application fees, security deposits, and moving costs. The bill authorizes $3 billion annually for fiscal years 2027–2031, subject to appropriations.
Connect tenants with help to stay housed. Grantees can use up to 15 percent of their emergency assistance grants for services like legal aid, housing counseling, case management, and help finding a new home or accessing other benefits.
Support local alternatives to eviction. Provide Justice Department grants for eviction diversion programs and landlord-tenant community courts. These programs would help tenants catch up on rent or move to a stable home while offering landlords alternatives to a costly eviction and preserving both parties’ legal rights.
Improve eviction data and identify what works. Create a national eviction database at HUD, fund collection of data on illegal evictions, and establish an advisory committee and federal studies to guide prevention efforts. The bill requires privacy protections, including safeguards for survivors of domestic violence, and bars use of database information to determine program eligibility.
Give renters access to their screening reports. Require consumer reporting agencies to give renters a copy of reports used to evaluate their rental applications, helping them identify and dispute errors. Eviction judgments in a tenant’s favor and the related cases could not appear in consumer reports.
Protect tenant rights and support Tribal communities. Require housing programs to notify applicants in writing within 5 days if aid is denied and give them 10 days to fix or update their application. The bill also guarantees dedicated annual funding specifically for Tribal communities.
Take action, tell Congress to enact the Evictions Crisis Act. https://www.opportunityhome.org/take-action/the-bipartisan-eviction-crisis-act/
