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HRC discusses revising Article 29 to address source-of-income discrimination in housing
Summary
Commissioners and staff said they will meet with the county legal department to explore amendments to Article 29 aimed at limiting housing providers’ use of blanket 'three-times-rent' calculations against voucher holders and similar guaranteed-income applicants.
Members of the Baltimore County Human Relations Commission discussed possible revisions to Article 29 of the county code to better protect applicants who use housing vouchers or other guaranteed income sources.
A commissioner described a local precedent in which a judgment favored a housing provider that used a three-times-rent calculation as a gatekeeping criterion, resulting in practical barriers for voucher holders. Commissioners said they plan a meeting with Director Coleman and representatives from the county legal department to examine Article 29 language and to draft potential amendment proposals that would, according to the discussion, limit income-calculation requirements so they apply only to the tenant’s actual share of rent rather than to the full rent amount.
The commission also discussed related federal proposals to add source-of-income protections to the Fair Housing Act but noted the draft federal language the commissioner referenced did not expressly prohibit the kind of provider screening at issue. Commissioners were reminded that amendments to county code typically require council consideration and an affirmative vote and that the county’s Article 29 process appears to allow rolling submission of amendment proposals.
No ordinance language was adopted at the meeting; commissioners said the next step is to consult legal staff and then consider formal amendment proposals if advised.
