San Jose Approves Tenant Protections, Studying a Ban on Voucher Discrimination

"City leaders Tuesday approved exploring a new measure to address income discrimination against renters with federal Section 8 housing vouchers," reports Ramona Giwargis.

The City Council…mulled a new report that outlined barriers to housing in Silicon Valley, including discrimination against renters who use housing vouchers. The report, prepared by city housing director Jacky Morales-Ferrand, pinpoints key obstacles to housing: the location and availability of affordable units of all sizes, the displacement of residents due to rising housing costs and a lack of eviction protections.

Among the findings of the "Analysis of Impediment to Fair Housing Choice" report: that discrimination based on Section 8 and other housing subsidies are rampant in the city, adds Giwargis. In response to the report, the council voted 9-2 to study a possible ordinance that would ban such discrimination.

The San Jose City Council's interest in housing discrimination came just days after it approved "historic new tenant protections, "including a 'just cause' policy requiring landlords to give a reason for ousting tenants, renters celebrated a victory they have sought for decades," as reported by Giwargis in an earlier article.