The city council will vote on a proposal to require publicly subsidized landlords to lease units to recipients of housing assistance vouchers.
An Atlanta city councilmember has proposed legislation that would require landlords of publicly subsidized housing developments to accept Section 8 housing vouchers, reports Sean Keenan for Atlanta Civic Circle.
The rule is aimed at reducing source-of-income discrimination against voucher recipients, who often have a hard time finding housing. A similar law passed in 2020 requiring all Atlanta landlords to accept vouchers was deemed legally unenforceable because requiring private landlords to accept vouchers must be done through state legislation, Keenan explains. The new resolution applies only to property owners receiving city subsidies such as tax credits and would increase the number of units available to voucher holders.
The proposed Atlanta legislation is modeled on a similar law passed in Charlotte, North Carolina earlier this year, which fines landlords who deny housing to voucher holders. Housing voucher recipients around the country face a unique set of challenges as they navigate a tight housing market to find affordable units.
FULL STORY: Atlanta City Council proposes making publicly subsidized landlords accept housing vouchers
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