H.R. 1078: Respect State Housing Laws Act

HR1078 takes aim at a lesser-known piece of the 2020 CARES Act—the rule that forced landlords in federally-backed properties to give tenants a 30-day notice before eviction. Lawmakers behind the bill argue that eviction rules should be left to state governments, not dictated by Washington.

The bill’s two lines pack a punch—it simply deletes the section on required notice, tossing the matter back to state and local law. That means in dozens of states, renters could get as little as a few days’ warning, depending on local ordinances. Landlord and real estate groups have pushed hard for this change, calling the federal rule an “overstep.”

Supporters say the COVID emergency is over, and this rule just complicates housing markets and creates confusion. But critics counter that some renters are still struggling from pandemic fallout, and quick evictions could fuel housing insecurity—especially in states with weak tenant protections. The debate is deeply political, pitting property rights against housing safety nets.