Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Representative Scott Peters (D-CA) introduced the “Fair Housing Improvement Act” (S.1267, H.R. 2846) in the U.S. Congress on April 25. The bill would expand housing choice by prohibiting source-of-income discrimination as well as discrimination based on military or veteran status. While rental assistance programs help families find safe and stable places to live, too often landlords discriminate against households that receive assistance through programs like the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) or Veteran Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) programs. If passed, the bill would prohibit housing discrimination based on “source of income,” “military status,” and “veteran status” by adding each to the list of classes protected under the “Fair Housing Act.” In addition to aiding voucher holders and other low-income renters, the legislation would advance racial equity and strengthen economic mobility. The bill is supported by NLIHC and leading national organizations from the housing, faith, civil rights, food security, health, and anti-poverty sectors represented in the Opportunity Starts at Home (OSAH) campaign.
“Access to safe, affordable housing provides individuals with stability and opportunity, but too often, individuals have been denied housing because of how they pay rent,” said Senator Kaine, who is a former fair housing attorney. “I’m proud to reintroduce this bill to protect veterans and low-income families from discrimination and expand access to housing for all Americans.”
“I applaud Senator Kaine and Representative Peters for introducing this important legislation to help combat housing discrimination, segregation, and inequity,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel. “Where you live has an enormous impact on the opportunities we have in life – everything from educational attainment, to lifetime earnings, better health, and life expectancy. For too long, discrimination has prevented people with low incomes from living in neighborhoods of their choice – including communities with access to jobs, high performing schools, healthcare, and transportation – simply because they rely on federal housing benefits to make ends meet. This legislation is an important step towards righting this wrong.”
The Fair Housing Improvement Act has been endorsed by more than 70 national organizations, and its passage is a top priority for NLIHC’s HoUSed and Opportunity Starts at Home campaigns. Advocates can support this legislation by urging their members of Congress to cosponsor the bill via this link: https://p2a.co/5hqHbkY Additionally, organizations can join a national letter urging enactment of the bill via this link: https://p2a.co/9n8zrld
Read a press release about the bill and see a full list of its endorsers at: https://bit.ly/3LF9FKC
Read a fact sheet on the Fair Housing Improvement Act at: https://bit.ly/3AzjrYi