A proposed law in Congress would make it illegal for landlords to deny tenants the right to keep and bear arms in their homes if the property receives federal funding.
On April 17, 2025, Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) reintroduced the “Preserving Rights of Tenants by Ensuring Compliance to the Second Amendment Act” (PROTECT the Second Amendment Act), designated as H.R. 2930.
This legislation aims to prevent landlords and property managers operating federally assisted rental housing from restricting tenants’ lawful possession of firearms within their residences or common areas.
Feenstra’s bill explicitly states that no landlord or property manager receiving federal financial assistance may implement lease agreements or policies that ban the lawful possession, transportation, or storage of firearms by tenants, provided that the firearms are being carried or transported while the resident is entering or exiting their home.
The legislation defines “covered federally assisted rental housing” as properties supported by federal programs managed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Agriculture. These include public housing, Section 8 rental assistance, the HOME Investment Partnerships program, the Housing Trust Fund, and supportive housing for persons with disabilities.
Additionally, it covers housing programs for Native Americans, natives of Hawaii, and rural rental housing. By covering these wide array of programs, the legislation ensures that Second Amendment rights are respected for a broad spectrum of residents nationwide that use federally-funded housing.
As long as a resident is legally permitted to own a firearm, their housing status cannot be used to limit this right. To ensure compliance, the bill requires housing providers that receive federal funding to align their policies with these new protections. If enacted, housing agencies will need to review and revise their regulations to allow for the lawful possession of firearms by tenants, ensuring that federal funds are not used to infringe on tenants’ right to bear arms.
Feenstra’s bill received strong backing from the National Rifle Association (NRA) and several Republican lawmakers. “The right of law-abiding Americans to keep firearms in their homes for self-defense has been a fundamental freedom since our nation’s founding and has been reaffirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court,” declared John Commerford, Executive Director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA). “No one should be forced to give up this right, especially when a landlord or property manager is receiving federal tax dollars. The NRA applauds Representative Feenstra for introducing this important legislation that protects the right to keep and bear arms.”
The Iowa congressman said the following about his legislation:
The right of Iowans to keep and bear arms is enshrined in our Constitution and shall not be infringed. These constitutional protections must be strongly defended and certainly do not cease to exist for gun owners living in rental properties. My PROTECT the Second Amendment Act ensures that landlords or rental property managers who receive federal financial assistance at taxpayer expense cannot unlawfully restrict Americans from exercising their constitutional rights. As a strong advocate of the Second amendment, I will always defend the right of Iowans to keep and bear arms and support law-abiding gun owners.
Thus far, H.R. 2930 has nine co-sponsors in the United States House, with outspoken national populist Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) being one of its most prominent backers.
If passed, H.R. 2930 could have far-reaching implications for millions of Americans living in federally funded rental properties and open the door for further expansions of gun rights in other federally-funded institutions.
About José Niño
José Niño is a freelance writer based in Austin, Texas. You can contact him via Facebook and X/Twitter. Subscribe to his Substack newsletter by visiting “Jose Nino Unfiltered” on Substack.com.
think feds making sure the tenants receiving section 8 aid in demorat controlled states have guns available without state interference gangs would move out of public housing to the leftburbs
The reason many HUD tenants are armed in the first place is because HUD is responsible for the most dangerous places to live in the world! Why do you think now, so many people opt for a sleeping bag on a public sidewalk instead of a free HUD unit? Because there’s more security and peace and quiet on a public sidewalk.