Once the state of emergency is over, thousands of renters in Burlington will be at risk of eviction by their landlords for no reason at all. We can protect against that by enacting a "just cause" eviction policy, so landlords could evict tenants only for specific violations, like a breach of lease.

Without a just cause requirement, our housing anti-discrimination protections are toothless. No one should live in fear of having their family evicted for no reason. Just cause will also make it safer for renters to report unsafe living conditions to the city, without fear of being evicted as a result.

Cities across the country have successfully enacted just cause to protect their renters, including Seattle, Philadelphia, Oakland and Berkeley.

Burlington City Council has the chance right now to pass this charter change, which will put the policy on the ballot for all of us to decide on Town Meeting Day in March — an election day that promises to have the largest turnout in decades. Now more than ever, we need Just Cause!