From the Director’s Desk: Another Housing Bill Dead On Arrival

by Cathryn McGill, NMBLC Founder & Director

Let’s be honest: we’ve been to the scene of this accident before. Another housing bill full of promise, weighed down by politics, dies in committee. Again. Meanwhile, families face rising rents, unjust evictions, and unsafe housing—and landlords struggle with damages, nonpayment, and red tape.

If this bill were a person, I’d say what we say in the hood: “You doin’ too much.” The bill tried to fix everything—eviction timelines, fees, landlord accountability, habitability standards. And in trying to be everything to everyone, it ended up being nothing to anybody.

But let’s be clear: The Uniform Owner-Resident Relations Act (UORRA) is broken. UORRA is outdated. It pretends to create balance, but often leaves renters exposed and landlords unsupported.

So what now? Wait for another session? Another crisis? Nah. It’s time to shift—from gridlock to groundwork.

360° View: Renters and Landlords Deserve Better

Landlords share horror stories of damage, unpaid rent, and lengthy court fights. Tenants describe mold, illegal lockouts, and landlords who vanish after collecting rent. They’re both right.

This isn’t good vs. evil—it’s a broken system. And balance doesn’t mean everyone gets everything. It means we stop the tug-of-war and start building a better table.

Housing isn’t a zero-sum game. It’s about crafting policies everyone can live with—and live well.

What Do We Do?

We keep it focused. Keep it real. And keep it moving. It should be noted that some of these things are in the works. We need all of them. We need a plan. And we need to execute it with fidelity.

Mediation before eviction. Cheaper, faster, and builds trust.

City-backed repair/relief fund. For mom-and-pop landlords (not huge conglomerates) trying to do right.

Habitability standards and enforcement. No one should pay to live with rats or mold.

Just Cause Eviction. Real protections for renters; real recourse for landlords.

Rental registry. So tenants know what they’re walking into—and good landlords get credit.

These aren’t radical. They’re reasonable. They’ve worked elsewhere. We don’t need to start from scratch—we just need to start.

Let’s Convene—and Commit

We’re past suggestion. It’s time for action. If we believe housing is a human right, the City must issue the edict: There will be change.

We can do this with the people—through a convening of renters, landlords, advocates, legal minds, and leaders—to build a blueprint with deadlines and outcomes. Or the administration must act and implement common-sense strategies that have sat idle for too long.

Either way, change is coming.

And it should come with the full weight of the people behind it.

Let’s Close the Loop

So here we are. Another bill gone. Another chance missed. But this time—we’re not leaving it there.

We’re calling on City leaders to get real, get creative, and get to work. No more blame games. No more silence. If we believe housing is a right, let’s act like it.

The next move is ours. And if we don’t make it, we’ll keep losing—one eviction, one boarded-up house, one failed bill at a time.

Let’s do better. Let’s do something. Together.