Boise City Council Defers Source-of-Income Discrimination Ban

The Boise City Council expressed support for new tenant protection measures that would “would prevent landlords from retaliating against tenants for requesting repairs on their unit, require notice of tenant rights and responsibilities, and a full security deposit return for units that will be demolished or substantially renovated.” Margaret Carmel describes the proposed policies in Boise Dev.

The council deferred support for a fourth proposal that would ban source-of-income discrimination (primarily housing vouchers), calling for a more detailed description of the rule that would address smaller landlords. Landlord interest groups oppose the measure, saying it would add “administrative burdens” and potentially raise rents in other ways.

As Carmel points out, “Ordinances like the one Boise is considering to prevent landlords from discriminating against voucher holders have cropped up in major cities nationwide and in over a dozen states, including conservative ones like North Dakota and Utah.” Source-of-income discrimination is a common challenge for families who qualify for federal Section 8 housing vouchers.