A bipartisan bill tackles landlords' unwillingness to rent to housing voucher holders.
Senators Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) have introduced legislation to expand the Fair Housing Act in an effort to improve access to affordable housing.
The Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2018 specifically targets discrimination based on source of income—i.e., use of housing vouchers—as well as veteran status. It would add these factors to the list of categories explicitly protected under the law, which currently include race, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability.
"The move comes just a few months after the Department of Housing and Urban Development launched a push to get more landlords to accept housing vouchers, citing two studies that 'most' landlords do not accept housing vouchers and therefore deny affordable housing opportunities to those who need it most," Ben Lane reports in Housing Wire.
About 2.2 million veterans and low-income households currently receive federal housing vouchers, Lane notes.
FULL STORY: Prominent senators begin bipartisan push to expand Fair Housing Act
San Jose Approves Tenant Protections, Studying a Ban on Voucher Discrimination
The city of San Jose, California is crafting regulations to give renters and low-income residents more rights and access to fair housing.
Fair Housing Funding Cuts Open Door to Discrimination, Advocates Say
Federal cuts to grants for fair housing advocacy organizations could lead to ‘widespread’ housing discrimination as enforcement resources are reduced.
Planning Fair: How Fair Housing Intersects with Planning
The successful implementation of fair housing laws requires the active participation of urban planners, land use boards, elected officials, and the wider planning community.
Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?
Paris Voters Approve More Car-Free Streets
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo says the city will develop a plan to close 500 streets to car traffic and add new bike and pedestrian infrastructure after a referendum on the proposal passed with 66 percent of the vote.
Making Mobility More Inclusive
A new study highlights the challenges people with disabilities continue to face in navigating urban spaces.
Texas Bills Could Push More People Into Homelessness
A proposal to speed up the eviction process and a bill that would accelerate enforcement of an existing camping ban could make the state’s homelessness crisis worse, advocates say.
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