A bill banning Idaho cities from restricting rental housing fees is headed to the House for consideration.
Residents testified for more than two hours – largely against the bill. Under the proposal, cities couldn’t limit things like application fees or security deposits on rental housing.
Currently, only Boise has such an ordinance, which caps application fees at $30. It also requires landlords and property managers to only use that money to cover credit checks, background checks or other legal filings.
Marisa Keith from Boise said she’s seen her clients lose out on so much money from predatory application fees over her career as a social worker.
In a tight housing market, renters may pay multiple application fees, but still end up without getting a single apartment.
“It’s just this really horrible cycle that people, especially low-income, vulnerable people, get into and it really does hurt our Idaho families,” Keith said.
Industry groups representing landlords and property managers backed the proposal.
Paul Smith, the Idaho Apartment Association executive director, said caps on fees violate the spirit of a state law that bans rent control.
“Fees and rent are the same thing,” Smith said. “Fee control is rent control.”
Republicans in a House committee overwhelmingly supported the bill. The full House will take up the issue next.
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