Indiana is currently working on a bill, HB 1214, which would significantly help those denied housing due to past eviction records. HB 1214 would allow people to request expunctions for eviction filings in situations where the case was dismissed, the judgement ended up in their favor, or the landlord took no action within 180 days of the filing.
HB 1214 is an essential step for so many because a case where a tenant has an eviction filing that never came to fruition can hurt just as much as a case where someone was fully evicted. This can cause landlords to pass up on potential tenants who didn’t deserve eviction filings on their records. Why should tenants still be punished when they win an eviction case?
We know that stable housing is absolutely necessary to succeed in life, and the COVID-19 pandemic has made it more difficult for those who struggle under harsh economic conditions. Prosperity Indiana policy director Andrew Bradley noted that since the beginning of the pandemic, over 91,000 calls have been made to the Indiana 211 hotline about housing needs. He also noted:
“It’s been a huge issue throughout COVID when nearly one in 10 renter households has seen an eviction filing against them since the pandemic started. And this issue of ‘the Scarlet E’ that continues to follow families and prevent them from getting into stable housing.”
The bill passed through the house by a unanimous 89-0 vote and now heads to the Senate for review.
If you have difficulty because of eviction or other criminal records, we can help. Sign up for a free background report from EasyExpunctions.com to see If we can scrub your record’s eligible past crimes. We’re here to offer you a fresh start with fast, affordable, and 100% online expunction services!