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House committee introduces bill to limit no‑cause evictions, adds six‑month just‑cause start
Summary
The House Committee on General and Housing on March 11 heard an introduction of H.440, sponsored by Representative Saudia Grama, which would narrow no‑cause evictions, clarify grounds for termination of tenancy, and phase in just‑cause protections after a six‑month probationary period.
Representative Saudia Grama, sponsor of H.440, introduced the bill March 11 to the House Committee on General and Housing. "This is near and dear to my heart," Grama said, adding that "we are in a housing crisis." The session was an introduction; the committee did not take testimony or vote on the bill.
The bill would amend existing tenancy statutes to clarify acceptable grounds for termination — including nonpayment of rent, substantial harm to property or persons, health reasons, and failure to meet lease obligations — and would prohibit relying solely on an end‑of‑rental agreement "just cause" notice as the only ground for termination. Grama told the committee the draft keeps current statutory exceptions for owner‑occupied duplexes and triplexes, accessory dwelling units withdrawn from the rental market, and units taken out of service for substantial renovation.
H.440 would add a six‑month probationary window after initial occupancy during which landlords could still end a tenancy without invoking just cause, a period Grama said reflects where many landlord‑tenant problems first emerge. The bill also proposes limits on rent increases tied to a consumer price index formula: "reasonable rent increases, to the consumer price index of 3% or 8%, whichever is lower for the calendar year," Grama said, to reduce de facto nonrenewals.
Committee members noted related funding and prevention programs during the discussion. A committee member pointed to the VSHA Rental Arrears Debiction Prevention Program, described in the meeting as a $2,500,000 appropriation that does not expire but — based on current spending rates — is expected to be depleted by September 2025. That program was identified in committee comments as the kind of assistance that would likely need to accompany any broader tenant‑protection package.
The introduction emphasized policy goals rather than legislative mechanics: keeping tenants housed to reduce homelessness, preserving workforce stability, and addressing mental‑health and economic harms associated with repeated displacement. Grama said the bill is intended to prompt committee review and negotiation: "I wanted us to introduce the topic, and I really hope we get to walk through this bill together as a committee."
No formal action was taken beyond the introduction. Committee members and the sponsor flagged multiple drafting issues for later work, including how the rent‑increase cap would operate in practice, how the six‑month probation would interact with existing lease practices, and whether changes to court procedures (a matter for the Judiciary Committee) might be necessary if eviction timelines are altered.
The committee did not set a date for a full hearing with testimony; members discussed potential next steps including coordination with Judiciary and Appropriations depending on whether the committee advances the measure.
