Philadelphia's landscape of housing justice has witnessed a pivotal shift, following the enactment of the Angel Davis Eviction Accountability Act, which ushers in heightened regulations around evictions. Marisa Shuter, the landlord-tenant officer known for overseeing private evictions within the city, has announced that her office will halt its practices due to new, stringent requirements she is unable to meet, particularly in obtaining sufficient insurance for her operations. This development arrives six weeks after the law's passage, which was propelled by alarming incidents, including the shooting of two women by Shuter’s deputies during evictions last year.

The law, drafted by Minority Leader Kendra Brooks, aims to overhaul the private eviction system by instituting licensing, training, and insurance mandates for contractors carrying out such actions. "After her deputies shot two women during evictions last year, triggering two lawsuits to cover millions of dollars for their medical care, it’s no surprise that landlord-tenant officer Marisa Shuter is unable to find someone willing to insure her dangerous for-profit eviction operation," Brooks said, according to City Council Philadelphia. Philadelphia thus stands on the brink of joining other municipalities in Pennsylvania that do not permit private entities to manage evictions.

Lobbying by renters rights groups and legal challenges brought forth by the victims—Angel Davis and Latese Bethea—have been instrumental in driving the change. Bethany Nikitenko, attorney for Angel Davis, expressed her expectation of a more equitable system. "The closure of the Landlord Tenant Office hopefully signals the end of the for-profit eviction system in Philadelphia. Fairness and accountability will only be achieved when the system is beholden to City government and the people of Philadelphia," Nikitenko told City Council Philadelphia.

Complying with the new law would require the landlord-tenant officer to secure professional liability insurance of $2 million per incident and $4 million annually. Shuter communicated her inability to meet these conditions in a letter addressed to landlords, which effectively marks an end to her involvement in evictions in the city. Councilmember Jamie Gauthier asserted the importance of maintaining community safety over profit in such critical proceedings. "As the city's legislative body, one of Council’s responsibilities is to create legal standards for businesses," Gauthier said, as per phlcouncil.com. "If a for-profit entity can not meet the safety regulations implemented by City Council and the Mayor, they should not conduct evictions."