The Ohio Safe Homes Act is designed to strengthen protections for tenants who are victims of specific crimes, such as domestic violence and sexual offenses. Under this bill, tenants can terminate their rental agreements if they have a qualifying protection order or have reported the crime to a qualified third party. The legislation mandates that landlords must install replacement locks within twenty-four hours upon request and prohibits them from providing keys to individuals excluded from the property. Additionally, tenants who terminate their leases under this act are allowed up to thirty days to vacate without incurring early termination fees, while still being responsible for rent until they leave. The act also emphasizes the confidentiality of tenants' information regarding their victim status.

To incentivize landlords to support victims, the bill introduces a nonrefundable tax credit for those who rent to qualifying tenants, allowing them to claim a credit of up to $2,000 or one month's rent for each terminated agreement. The act amends several sections of the Revised Code, clarifying that calls to law enforcement for incidents of domestic violence or sexual offenses do not constitute a nuisance, thus protecting victims from eviction or penalties. It also repeals existing conflicting sections of the Revised Code to create a more streamlined legal framework for tenant rights and landlord responsibilities in Ohio.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 3767.01, 3767.05, 4301.74, 5321.02, 5747.98