Bill to Expand Tenant Notice Draws Questions, Held for Further Review

Aiming to strengthen protections for tenants in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Senator Marvin Blyden presented legislation that would require landlords to give 60 days’ notice before terminating a month-to-month rental agreement or raising the rent by more than 5 percent. But what he described as a “plain and simple” bill quickly drew a range of concerns from fellow lawmakers during a recent hearing of the Committee on Housing, Transportation and Telecommunications.

“Every time I bring a bill, it’s something else. We find a billion things to talk about. The bill is plain and simple. Ain't none controversial about this bill,” Blyden said at the Wednesday hearing.

Bill 36-0022 would “require landlords to provide 60 days notice if the rent is being raised by more than 5% in month-to-month Residential Tenancies, or if the tenancy is being terminated.” According to Blyden, current law requires notice equal to the payment period — for instance, one week’s notice if rent is paid weekly.

The proposed change would apply specifically to month-to-month agreements that are not governed by a fixed-term lease. In those cases, if rent is paid monthly, landlords would be obligated to provide 60 days' notice to terminate the tenancy. Blyden described the measure as “people-focused,” arguing that “short notice for rent increases and termination of tenancy is a major contributor to homelessness… and housing instability.”

While the bill received general support from lawmakers, questions about its language and implications led Blyden to hold it in committee for further revisions. The lack of input from key stakeholders such as private landlords and realtors also influenced the decision.

The only public testimony came from Lydia Pelle, chief operating officer of the Virgin Islands Housing Authority. Pelle acknowledged the bill’s importance to the broader community but noted that it does not affect the VIHA, as the agency does not offer month-to-month leases.