Oxford adopts ordinance banning source-of-income discrimination in housing

Oxford City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance on second reading to prohibit source-of-income discrimination in housing, adding a new chapter to the city’s codified ordinances.

The ordinance, which the council moved to adopt during its Nov. 5 meeting, adds a new chapter titled “prohibition of source-of-income discrimination and housing” and expands the definition of protected “source of income” to explicitly include emergency assistance, veterans benefits and disability benefits, city staff said.

City staff and council members said the measure is intended to increase rental access for households that use housing vouchers or other nonwage benefits to pay rent. “We did add emergency assistance, veterans benefits, and disability benefits, as requested from the last council meeting,” Jessica, a city staff member presenting the…