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.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.
Restoring Northern India’s Himalayan ‘Water Temples’
Thousands of centuries-old buildings protect the region’s natural springs and serve as community wells and gathering places.
Milwaukee to Double Bike Share Stations
Bublr Bikes, one of the nation’s most successful, will add 500 new e-bikes to its system.
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