Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Housing Protections topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission to introduce 'housing status' as protected class, sponsor says
Summary
A commissioner told the Sept. 8 monthly commission meeting that an item to add "housing status" to the city's protected-class list is scheduled for introduction Sept. 16; sponsors say the change would bar denials based on past lapses in housing history but would not guarantee housing.
Commissioner (proponent) said at the Sept. 8 monthly commission meeting that the commission will introduce a measure on Sept. 16 to add “housing status” to the city’s list of protected classes.
Proponents say the change is intended to prevent landlords and property managers from denying applicants solely because of past lapses in housing, such as time spent in shelters or periods of homelessness, while not creating an affirmative obligation for the city to provide housing.
"When we add protections, we have to make sure that we're not creating any sort of affirmative burden to regulate business, that would get struck down in the court," Commissioner (proponent) said. The sponsor emphasized the proposal would not guarantee housing but would limit the ability of landlords to act on assumptions about an applicant's past housing history.
Supporters described common screening practices—what they called a de facto "housing resume"—that require extensive prior-residence listings and references. The sponsor said those practices can block otherwise qualified applicants from securing housing and that the proposed protection would prevent denials based on past lapses in housing history.
The sponsor said the proposal is meant to help people who are at risk of losing housing or who are returning from a period of homelessness by removing a barrier landlords use to screen applicants. The sponsor also said the effort is intended to increase awareness of other existing protections, including domestic-violence survivor protections, which the sponsor said many people do not know about.
Commission staff said the measure will be coordinated with community groups and that the sponsor has been meeting with housing and legal organizations as the draft moves forward. The sponsor told commissioners that the item is scheduled for introduction Sept. 16 and that related committee consideration will follow.
The sponsor said the draft is being reviewed with solicitors and partner agencies and that more outreach will accompany the proposal. No formal vote on the policy was recorded at the Sept. 8 meeting.
Next steps: the sponsor and staff will continue outreach and solicitor review before the scheduled introduction.
