'A major setback for renters': Indiana lawmakers vote to strip tenants of new protections

A bill that would strip protections from Indianapolis renters passed both chambers of the Indiana General Assembly on Wednesday, handing a major defeat to Mayor Joe Hogsett and advocates who are grappling with how to fight back against predatory landlords and mountains of evictions in Indianapolis.

The bill, passed primarily by Republicans who hold a super-majority in the Statehouse, came just a couple weeks after Hogsett, a Democrat, and the Indianapolis City-County Council began providing more power to renters. The bill now heads to the desk of Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb for his consideration.

Mayor Joe Hogsett, in a statement, said it was "incredibly disappointing."

"Today’s action by the Indiana General Assembly is incredibly disappointing and represents a major setback for renters in Indianapolis and across the state," Hogsett said. "Our city is home to many good landlords, but it is unassailable that too many of our residents are still being victimized at the hands of bad actors. It is also clear that the problems facing cities and towns across Indiana are unique to each jurisdiction and the solutions must be as well."

Read more: https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2020/03/11/indiana-lawmakers-approve-stripping-indianapolis-renters-of-new-protections/5019604002/