Tenant advocate tells committee repeated no‑cause evictions uprooted families, urges stronger supports
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Summary
Kaya Morris, a secure housing coach with the Land Access and Opportunity Board, told legislators that no‑cause evictions and rapid market shifts have forced families into repeated moves, costing tenants thousands and undermining stability; she urged pairing longer notice with financial assistance and other tenant protections.
Kaya Morris, secure housing coach for the Land Access and Opportunity Board and a Colchester resident, testified before the General & Housing committee about the human effects of no‑cause evictions and existing landlord‑tenant law as part of discussion around H.772.
Morris recounted two episodes in Chittenden County where residents received brief, unsigned notices to vacate from an out‑of‑state owner. "It was a frenzy," she said, describing neighbors who learned at once that they would have to leave and then scrambled to find housing in a tight market. She said moving expenses for affected families were typically "between 5 to $7,000," and that tenants often invest "up to $40,000 a year" into renting without any compensating protections when a landlord decides to sell.
Why it matters: Committee members are weighing several landlord‑tenant proposals that would change notice periods and other procedures in no‑cause evictions. Morris said longer notice alone is insufficient without financial and practical supports that allow tenants to secure new housing during the notice period.
Morris told lawmakers that a 90‑day notice in the draft language could be reasonable but must be paired with assistance for upfront costs such as security deposits and last‑month rent. "The length of time is important, but there's also things that need to happen during that period of activity in order to make it possible for that person to move to the next place," she said.
She and members also discussed deposit practices. Morris said her household paid a first and last month plus a security deposit when moving; in Vermont, committee members noted, landlords generally must return security deposits within 14 days of move‑out or forfeit the right to withhold damages. A committee member referenced other draft language that had an 80‑day notice concept, but Morris said that reducing notification windows could leave tenants unable to cover relocation costs.
Morris also urged the panel to consider mechanisms that would reduce adversarial landlord‑tenant relationships, including shared‑equity approaches, cooperative ownership, and policies that enable tenants to purchase properties they inhabit. She flagged the absence of a statewide rental registry, saying current methods for identifying repeat problem landlords are limited to word‑of‑mouth and social media.
During exchanges, members pressed on practical implications for small landlords who said they are reluctant to rent long‑term without stronger protections for property owners. Morris acknowledged landlord concerns about being bound to tenants but emphasized existing eviction remedies for lease violations would remain.
The committee did not take formal action on H.772 during the meeting; Morris concluded her remarks and the panel moved on to other bill introductions.
