[sokoloff]

Yes, there are already laws against slumlording in most places already. It's not on an individual renter to hold the power, but on a licensing or health/building code enforcement government agency to prevent uninhabitable or sub-standard housing from being rented without recourse. The tenant just has to complain to them and the government comes down with the power.

Not counting college, I've rented at 7 different places, representing about 13 years in total. None were slums. All were far better than me having to buy an entire place each time I wanted to move somewhere.

Remove slums? Hell yes! Remove rental properties? Hell no!