Want to keep up with the real estate industry? June 2026 has heralded plenty of legal changes that impact the landscape of housing providers. Learn about changes on the national and state levels, and prepare for updates to the laws that will impact your career.
June is a busy month for housing providers. With summer being peak moving season, kids, teens, and college students all home from school, and early summer maintenance, landlords and property managers have a lot to manage during this time of year. Fortunately, keeping up with industry updates and news doesn’t have to pile onto this task list. This month’s industry outlook is here to help.
As summer kicks off, so do a variety of legal changes that can impact housing providers both nationally and in certain states. Learn more about these changes in June 2026’s industry outlook. These changes include updates to the Housing for the 21st Century Act, which has been discussed a lot this year, HUD guidelines being updated to tighten some restrictions on emotional support animals, and a few state laws that might impact the tenant screening process.
2026 Housing Bill Expected to Pass Soon
Starting this recap is an update to the Housing for the 21st Century Act that has been debated and modified throughout the first half of this year. This CNBC article cites an interview with U.S. Senator Tim Scott, stating that this year’s major housing bill will likely be passed in the near future. According to the June 18th announcement, it can be expected in 2-3 weeks from the date. To keep track of any updates to this act, GovTrack.us is an excellent resource and can provide information on the updates made to the act, as well as which branch of government it is currently passing through.
HUD Updates Its Guidelines on Emotional Support Animals
The Department of Housing and Urban Development has recently updated its guidelines regarding ESAs. While no laws have been changed, the announcement of changes recinds previous guidance that was widely used to accept ESAs as a reasonable accommodation. With these new guidelines, untrained ESAs are not expected to have as many protections under the Fair Housing Act. The changes also tighten the expectations for service animals, intended to provide less leeway for ESA letters that may be obtained for reasons other than an individual’s mental health needs.
Learn more: HUD Has Changed Its ESA Guidelines | What it Means for You
Marijuana-Related Criminal Offenses to be Sealed in Virginia
According to Virginia House Bill 2723, any former marijuana-related offenses are to be sealed without a court order. This change has come as a result of the legalization of marijuana in Virginia in 2021. The bill means that marijuana-related offenses will not show up on tenant screening reports, nor will they appear on any criminal history reports.
According to the bill:
“Any criminal or civil offense that concluded with any final disposition as a charge or conviction of former § 18.2-250.1 shall be sealed without the entry of a court order.”
§ 18.2-250.1 has since been repealed, but it used to govern crimes related to marijuana. As marijuana has since been legalized in the state of Virginia, these new laws have been implemented to alleviate the impacts of prior convictions associated with now-legalized marijuana.
No-Fault Termination of Tenancy Introduced in New Hampshire
New Hampshire’s new regulations introduce the concept of “no fault termination of tenancy” to New Hampshire law, in HB60. It also classifies no-fault terminations as not being considered evictions in rental applications and tenant screening reports.
The bill states:
“No fault termination of tenancy shall not be considered an eviction for the purposes of rental applications and tenant screening reports by the lessor or the lessee.”
This change will affect how evictions and lease terminations appear on tenant screening reports, so that not every lease termination is considered an eviction. No-fault terminations would mean a tenant can be forced out of a property, but without an eviction being recorded for future landlords. This allows landlords and tenants in New Hampshire to have another, less harmful solution to tenant problems that might require the removal of a tenant.
Final Thoughts
With the onset of moving season and the busy summer months, industry news can be challenging to keep track of, but it doesn’t have to be. With these industry outlooks, you can keep track of the updates to the industry and keep an eye on the news and legal aspects of your profession. Stay tuned for more information and updates that can help you be the best landlord, investor, or property manager you can be.