[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6103682,"mediaKeyId","2793788-55f52ea2b5d0ae0df547494ffa1116ec","parentId",2793788,"title","ACLU Skadden Fellow and Legal Aid lawyers brief Human Rights Commission on tenants' rights and Oklahoma law limits","audioSeconds",2263,"startMs",603000,"endMs",2866000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2793788-55f52ea2b5d0ae0df547494ffa1116ec&start=603&end=2866","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2793788-55f52ea2b5d0ae0df547494ffa1116ec/thumbnail_603000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6103682/Oklahoma/ACLU-Skadden-Fellow-and-Legal-Aid-lawyers-brief-Human-Rights-Commission-on-tenants-rights-and-Oklahoma-law-limits","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6103682-a9b436e1ee6829e02af9f80f2b3d2c77/orig.mp4?Expires=1770441605&Signature=E4cs778Dzxsk-B5mUSpNsoy0wNu2j2pGt2RxQuwQaVRgrxznkZ8fPCH9h3~iLXgXwQ34OwhPS~I3Aj7eIgxgbW0ONVbMN3BWKQegTNYsuCPId14Eiz7F2Twmlx0kGnQLhP1c~6Mt83W-mQyXIW9eWY07jJbmQcv~6V7~dmnUHkoI4d-MQGROpvGOLyu82VvT8jmS~kNxShbr~Z5H94hvyWjeKn~fPjA77oc4ArSgpuDpEk2d8B0aWImWvl6mp4VI2htmlW-aC691Lv6bO06T0F2R~xEPPzeP5FdyGb1oAN0kr~imiyx-39DGIpFDG18nlWwlnKKPEFce9bvnGUt6DQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Oklahoma","date","2025-03-27T04:19:16Z","article","Adam Hines, a Skadden Fellow at the ACLU of Oklahoma, told the Oklahoma City Human Rights Commission on March 25 that tenants in the state should know several unusual features of Oklahoma law and practical steps for asserting their rights.

Hines opened his tenant \"know your rights\" training by outlining common questions — from whether landlords must allow service animals to when landlords can raise rent or evict tenants — and then explained state and federal rules the commission and audience members can use as guidance.

Hines said landlords must keep security deposits in a separate escrow account during the tenancy and must provide an itemized receipt if they use the deposit after a lease ends. He added a unique Oklahoma requirement: \"Technically under the law if you want your security deposit back you have to ask for it back,\" and advised tenants to send a written request within six months of lease termination to trigger the landlord’s return obligation.

The trainer reviewed entry rules and maintenance remedies. \"Your landlord does have a right to enter your unit, but they have to give you at least 1 day's notice to enter your unit,\" Hines said, adding that emergencies (burst pipes, for example) are exceptions. He also explained repair-related options under state law: contact municipal code enforcement, seek repair-and-deduct remedies (with limits) or, under narrow conditions, terminate a lease and vacate.

Hines emphasized limits on tenant remedies in Oklahoma. He warned that the state lacks broad anti-retaliation protections for tenants, noting, \"Oklahoma is 1 of only 1 of 6 states in the entire country that doesn't have anti retaliation protections,\" and that where a tenant defaults into a month-to-month tenancy a landlord may be able to terminate with 30 days' notice.

On repair-and-deduct, Hines cautioned the audience that the statute caps repairs at one month's rent except when restoring an essential service such as heat, running water, electricity, gas or hot water: in those essential-service cases the one-month cap does not apply if the tenant follows the written-notice procedures. He advised keeping receipts and using licensed professionals for repairs to support a court claim.

Greg Bieben, an attorney with Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma who represents tenants in eviction court, joined the presentation and answered courtroom-practice questions. Bieben said judges will typically accept obvious essential-service claims, noting heated examples such as lack of heat in winter or severe mold and bed‑bug infestations. He recommended documenting conditions with photos and following formal written-notice steps, including certified mail when a landlord is hard to reach.

The presentation included federal protections as well. Hines summarized the Fair Housing Act’s ban on discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status and disability and said discrimination complaints can be filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He also noted protections for victims of domestic violence who must be allowed to terminate a lease without penalty under state law, and listed reasonable‑accommodation rules for service and support animals for tenants with disabilities.

Speakers referenced pending and recent policy work. Bieben said there is legislative activity at the statehouse: \"There’s 1 actually that I think is going to be heard on the Senate floor today, which is Senate Bill 128…which would extend the eviction timeline.\" Hines encouraged attendees to follow legislative trackers and contact lawmakers about tenant remedies.

Commission staff and presenters pointed attendees to local resources: Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma for counsel at eviction dockets and Metro Fair Housing and the ACLU for education and legislative tracking. Commissioners and staff said outreach events and additional trainings will be scheduled; Hines said he will present a repeat session in April with Metro Fair Housing.

The session closed with questions about corporate and out‑of‑state landlords and practical tips for documenting notice and cure attempts. Hines and Bieben both urged careful, written records: certified mail or tenant‑portal messages, a second written notice after 14 days for unresolved issues, and retaining receipts and professional estimates if pursuing repair and deduct or court remedies.

The Commission scheduled a follow-up tenants' rights training in April and staff said pamphlets and neighborhood outreach will continue.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Oklahoma City Human Rights Commission - 3/26/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Adam Hines, a Skadden Fellow with the ACLU of Oklahoma, led a tenants' rights training for the Oklahoma City Human Rights Commission that reviewed security deposits, landlord entry, repair remedies, eviction timelines and federal anti‑discrimination protections.","taxTitle","Other Public Meetings, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma","taxId",69689,"location","Oklahoma","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6103677,"Oklahoma City Human Rights Commission adopts resolution to begin removing discriminatory language from city plats",3859,2656000,6515000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2793788-55f52ea2b5d0ae0df547494ffa1116ec&start=2656&end=6515","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2793788-55f52ea2b5d0ae0df547494ffa1116ec/thumbnail_2656000.jpg","/articles/6103677/Oklahoma/Oklahoma-City-Human-Rights-Commission-adopts-resolution-to-begin-removing-discriminatory-language-from-city-plats","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6103677-2ebdca767a6a2d71ecf44bf1887f211c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770441605&Signature=iVJ9x3yQTe7LVPIJFIeHjmfPkBGT0xEMTEwKBnmrb5FAaBf3Ka1-1~iA7wp51voiuoXXoGlxGkvsQr1S9Q-z~uiltu4yjxOR-lJyAJrIbty8ZgAVbHbzfoXTWhHdMjuxeK3H7AJ52OZuDHw6T7wjZ4BbdyUhwjKlUr-PQEIK-7vtseWcfRCerXHpjbt7q6bcsBfE9iaS6CgeK~AdODd18efVhlhHJv3J3vn8HUtjvy08QTp1y5Au953vvF96DHo9GZflYUcUpKPvNmPszxouZSW5XKbfG5BFcO2D4~djbPdCOiyJ~fdWZJPbaJevlcCOGIiY5KFKGP9eHOv-bf31lQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Oklahoma City Human Rights Commission voted to adopt a resolution on March 25 urging steps to remove discriminatory restrictive-covenant language from plats recorded in the city’s land records.

Emma Wineske, compliance officer for the commission, told commissioners the problem is not new and that other Oklahoma jurisdictions have started similar efforts. \"Many plats, historically had discriminatory language that sort of allowed landlords or owners to not rent to certain protected classes,\" Wineske said, adding that Edmond has already completed a plat amendment earlier this year and that the city would need an organized process to identify affected plats.

Wineske described the process commissioners would be endorsing: an initial, manual review of plat documents (older PDFs and scanned records) to identify plats with restrictive covenants, targeted notification mailings to affected property owners, and planning-commission hearings followed by city-council approvals to formally amend plats. She said staff would coordinate template letters and work with planning and public information staff on outreach.

Commissioners discussed workload and phasing. Several commissioners urged a pragmatic approach that combines staff effort with volunteer identification work. Commissioner Brian (last name not specified) said the city's web tools and staff capacity will matter, and proposed an approach that focuses first on areas identified by historic redlining maps. Commissioner Ralph (last name not specified) moved adoption of the resolution; Commissioner Daisy seconded. The motion passed by voice vote.

The commission also discussed public outreach: pairing education events with volunteer \"digging\" sessions to review scanned plat records, coordinating with neighborhood groups and homeowners associations, and using the commission’s convening power to raise awareness. Wineske said she would forward a draft city-council resolution to city management and the mayor’s office and follow up with the commission on the council agenda date.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution to remove discriminatory language from city plats: Motion by Commissioner Ralph; second by Commissioner Daisy; outcome: adopted by voice vote. (Resolution number: not specified.)

- Approval of minutes from Jan. 22, 2025 meeting: Motion to approve by Commissioner Marcia (surname not specified); seconded by Commissioner Daisy; outcome: approved by voice vote.

- Election of Vice Chair: Dr. Marsha Heron nominated by the Rules and Governance Committee and elected by acclamation; outcome: Vice Chair Marsha Heron (by acclamation).

Commission staff said the resolution is expected to be paired with a council item and that implementation will require phased, labor-intensive work to identify affected plats and notify owners. Commissioners signaled willingness to help with outreach and volunteer efforts once staff provides a phased plan and materials.","The Human Rights Commission voted to adopt a resolution urging the city to start a process to amend historical plats that contain racially or religiously discriminatory restrictive covenants. Staff described the manual identification and planning steps; commissioners agreed to pursue outreach and potential volunteer support for the work.","actionData","errors"]

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ACLU Skadden Fellow and Legal Aid lawyers brief Human Rights Commission on tenants' rights and Oklahoma law limits

Oklahoma City Human Rights Commission adopts resolution to begin removing discriminatory language from city plats