House committee introduced bill to bar landlords from demanding Social Security numbers and add immigration status to fair-housing protections

Rep. Leonora Dodd, a member of the Vermont House, introduced H.169 to the House Committee on General and Housing on Feb. 13 as a committee walkthrough rather than a hearing, saying the measure is aimed at retaining workforce members who face housing barriers.

The bill would prohibit a landlord or the landlord's agent from requesting an applicant's Social Security number to apply for a residential rental agreement or to conduct a criminal background or credit check. It would also add "citizenship" and "immigration status" to the classes protected under Vermont's Fair Housing and Public Accommodations Act.

The committee's legislative counsel, Cameron Wood of the Office of Legislative Council, read the draft language for the committee. Wood said, "you cannot request a social security number in order to apply to enter into the rental agreement or to conduct the criminal background or the credit check," and clarified the draft does not ban landlords from conducting background or credit checks using other identifying information. He also noted that if identification is required during the…