Aislinn Kalob | Oppose HB1499

I am deeply concerned about this bill regarding shortening the time frame for evictions. Allowing tenants to be locked out of their rental within 24 hours of a landlord and tenant hearing would cause a chain reaction of societal problems— not to mention nearly eliminate their right to appeal an eviction decision. We are in a dire housing crisis. And here in Concord where I live (and serve as a city councilor, though this testimony represents my opinion as a member of the public) there are 350+ people who are homeless. That’s a conservative estimate. This is not the time to be putting more people on the streets, because this is what this bill would do. How is a tenant supposed to find a new place to live with a) an eviction on their record and b) an unreasonably low 24 hour window? It is NOT possible. Landlords can retaliate against tenants and for a tenant to prove that, they need the opportunity to appeal. I have witnessed retaliation from a landlord who was upset by their tenant asking for basic repairs and pest control. This retaliation led to her serving an eviction notice, which led to court, which led to mediation. This tenant, a friend of mine, had no legal representation besides himself, as legal aid is seriously understaffed due to state funding and the budget. These issues are all connected: the housing crisis, the homelessness crisis, and the underfunding of programs and agencies to help low-income individuals. Passing this bill would worsen these issues. New Hampshire is a very landlord-friendly state. Please don’t make things harder on tenants. Please consider killing this bill.