Committee advances bill to add voter-registration link to tenant handbook

Philadelphia — The Committee on Licenses and Inspections voted to approve an amendment and to report favorably on bill 250774 during a public hearing and meeting that addressed adding voter registration information to required tenant documents.

Councilmember Ahmad, sponsor of the bill, told the committee the measure would add a link to the Philadelphia City Commissioners’ “how to register” page to the Partners in Good Housing handbook landlords already must provide to new tenants. “The goal of this measure is simple and straightforward, to make voter registration information easier for renters to access at the exact moment they sign a lease,” Ahmad said.

The bill would amend Philadelphia Code section 9-3903 (certificate of rental suitability; required tenant documents) to require owners and landlords to provide tenants a link to the City Commissioners’ voter-registration webpage. Sarah Damo, director of zoning and legislation for the Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I), said L&I has already updated the Partners in Good Housing handbook to include the link and will post the revised handbook online in English and “several other languages.”

“This change will not only make this information available to the public, but will also allow landlords to comply with this new requirement with no additional effort, as they are already required to provide this handbook to their tenants,” Damo said.

Commissioner Lisa Dealey of the Philadelphia City Commissioners’ Office testified in support, saying the QR-code-style link and the commissioners’ page will present registration materials in multiple languages and point users to online and satellite office options. “When you use that link, it will take you to the commissioner’s voter-registration page… it gives you all the language options,” Dealey said.

Committee members asked about enforcement and evaluation. Damo said L&I will not track voter registrations but can work with the City Commissioners’ Office to explore measuring effectiveness. Committee members noted an existing L&I practice: landlords must show evidence they provided the handbook if they proceed with an eviction, which serves as one verification mechanism. “If a landlord wants to proceed with any eviction process, they have to show proof that they actually gave that handout to the renter,” a committee member noted during questioning.

Councilmember O'Rourke offered the amendment; Councilmember Gauthier seconded. The committee approved the amendment by voice vote. O'Rourke then moved that the bill as amended be reported from committee with a favorable recommendation and that the Council rules be suspended to permit first reading at the next Council session; the motion was seconded and carried. The chair announced the ayes carried; members present and recorded earlier in the hearing included Councilmembers Gilmore Richardson, Jones, Gauthier, Phillips, O'Rourke, Vice Chair Scuilla and Chair Driscoll.

Sponsor Ahmad asked that, if enacted, the ordinance take effect 30 days after passage so the handbook change could be implemented promptly. L&I indicated it is prepared to publish the revised handbook online and in multiple languages and that the change requires no new distribution process beyond the existing handbook requirement.

The committee concluded by reporting the bill favorably and moving it toward Council first reading.