The Iowa City Council on Tuesday took a step toward making participants in the Housing Choice Voucher Program — commonly known as "Section 8" — a protected class under local fair housing laws, a move that would make it unlawful for landlords to advertise that they do not accept applicants who participate in the program.
During the Iowa City Council meeting this week, council members were receptive to the proposed Human Rights Ordinance amendment and passed the first reading of the change on a 6-0 vote. Council member Terry Dickens was absent from the meeting.
The city's ordinance currently includes protections for residents who utilize public assistance sources of income for housing but does not specifically include Housing Choice Voucher Program participants.
"Some landlords in Iowa City have policies that automatically reject an applicant if they use a Housing Choice Voucher, and some advertise that they do not rent to persons with vouchers," said Stefanie Bowers, the city's human rights and equity director. "What we're saying is that the landlord could not reject the housing choice applicant and not consider them for a unit based solely on that criterion."
Title VIII of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1968 currently prohibits discrimination in the sale or rental of property based on criteria like race, religion, sex or familial status. Iowa City's fair housing policies further protect from discrimination based on presence or absence of dependents, creed, sexual orientation and gender identity.
Housing Authority Administrator Steve Rackis said the amendment is aimed at leveling the playing field for Housing Choice Voucher Program participants.
"It's about fair and equal access to vacant rental units that you can no longer tell a person with a voucher 'I don't take the program, you can move along,'" Rackis said. "If somebody goes through the process and the landlord has a nondiscriminatory reason for not renting to them, then they don't rent to them."
Bowers said the Human Rights Office receives calls and complaints about alleged discrimination based on participation in the program. According to the city's 2014 Impediments to Fair Housing Choice Survey of 210 Housing Choice Voucher participants in Johnson County, 63, or about 30 percent, of the respondents said they believed their participation was the most common reason for discrimination.
"Because it's not covered at this time, those cases get closed out as lacking jurisdiction because we don't have jurisdiction to investigate those right now," Bowers said. "There appears to be a real community need for persons to have protection when they're looking for affordable housing units."
Chris Villhauer, president of the Greater Iowa City Area Apartment Association, a group that represents owners and managers of rental properties, last month outlined concerns landlords had with the amendment through letters to city officials. One of the major concerns, Villhauer said via email Monday, is that a separate federal contract is required for landlords that rent to Housing Choice Voucher recipients.
"In the past, some people have decided not to participate because they are required to sign a separate 12-page Housing Assistance Payments Contract with the federal government," Villhauer wrote. "No current protected class in Iowa City requires the landlord to sign a separate contract."
Villhauer said the association also has reached out to the city, Housing Authority and the Human Rights Commission to work together to find solutions.
Doug Boothroy, the city's director of Neighborhood and Development Services, said Tuesday that the proposed amendment does not require landlords to participate in the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
"Currently we have over 400 landlords that are participating in the program. I think it's a very positive thing about the landlords in this community and other communities that choose to use vouchers in their program. Unfortunately there are some landlords that have chosen to advertise that they don't accept vouchers," Boothroy said. "That's a message that's contrary to fair housing and contrary to diverse neighborhoods and inclusion."
Strong support by community members who spoke to the council during a public hearing Tuesday was reflected in council members' comments on the amendment.
"I will simply state that I think this is blatant discrimination and I'm not sure why we haven't done this sooner," council member Kingsley Botchway said.
Bowers said the ordinance is proposed to take full effect in June 2016, giving city staff enough time to reach out and educate landlords and tenants about the change. As an ordinance amendment, the measure requires three readings to pass, which will be taken up at future council meetings.
http://www.press-citizen.com/story/...discrimination-protection-section-8/79714092/
During the Iowa City Council meeting this week, council members were receptive to the proposed Human Rights Ordinance amendment and passed the first reading of the change on a 6-0 vote. Council member Terry Dickens was absent from the meeting.
The city's ordinance currently includes protections for residents who utilize public assistance sources of income for housing but does not specifically include Housing Choice Voucher Program participants.
"Some landlords in Iowa City have policies that automatically reject an applicant if they use a Housing Choice Voucher, and some advertise that they do not rent to persons with vouchers," said Stefanie Bowers, the city's human rights and equity director. "What we're saying is that the landlord could not reject the housing choice applicant and not consider them for a unit based solely on that criterion."
Title VIII of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1968 currently prohibits discrimination in the sale or rental of property based on criteria like race, religion, sex or familial status. Iowa City's fair housing policies further protect from discrimination based on presence or absence of dependents, creed, sexual orientation and gender identity.
Housing Authority Administrator Steve Rackis said the amendment is aimed at leveling the playing field for Housing Choice Voucher Program participants.
"It's about fair and equal access to vacant rental units that you can no longer tell a person with a voucher 'I don't take the program, you can move along,'" Rackis said. "If somebody goes through the process and the landlord has a nondiscriminatory reason for not renting to them, then they don't rent to them."
Bowers said the Human Rights Office receives calls and complaints about alleged discrimination based on participation in the program. According to the city's 2014 Impediments to Fair Housing Choice Survey of 210 Housing Choice Voucher participants in Johnson County, 63, or about 30 percent, of the respondents said they believed their participation was the most common reason for discrimination.
"Because it's not covered at this time, those cases get closed out as lacking jurisdiction because we don't have jurisdiction to investigate those right now," Bowers said. "There appears to be a real community need for persons to have protection when they're looking for affordable housing units."
Chris Villhauer, president of the Greater Iowa City Area Apartment Association, a group that represents owners and managers of rental properties, last month outlined concerns landlords had with the amendment through letters to city officials. One of the major concerns, Villhauer said via email Monday, is that a separate federal contract is required for landlords that rent to Housing Choice Voucher recipients.
"In the past, some people have decided not to participate because they are required to sign a separate 12-page Housing Assistance Payments Contract with the federal government," Villhauer wrote. "No current protected class in Iowa City requires the landlord to sign a separate contract."
Villhauer said the association also has reached out to the city, Housing Authority and the Human Rights Commission to work together to find solutions.
Doug Boothroy, the city's director of Neighborhood and Development Services, said Tuesday that the proposed amendment does not require landlords to participate in the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
"Currently we have over 400 landlords that are participating in the program. I think it's a very positive thing about the landlords in this community and other communities that choose to use vouchers in their program. Unfortunately there are some landlords that have chosen to advertise that they don't accept vouchers," Boothroy said. "That's a message that's contrary to fair housing and contrary to diverse neighborhoods and inclusion."
Strong support by community members who spoke to the council during a public hearing Tuesday was reflected in council members' comments on the amendment.
"I will simply state that I think this is blatant discrimination and I'm not sure why we haven't done this sooner," council member Kingsley Botchway said.
Bowers said the ordinance is proposed to take full effect in June 2016, giving city staff enough time to reach out and educate landlords and tenants about the change. As an ordinance amendment, the measure requires three readings to pass, which will be taken up at future council meetings.
http://www.press-citizen.com/story/...discrimination-protection-section-8/79714092/
