Lorain Fair Housing Board hears training on new source-of-income protections

Tanisha Seaborne, director of education and outreach at the Fair Housing Center for Rights and Research, told members of the Lorain Fair Housing Board on Jan. 22 that the city updated its fair housing ordinance in 2024 to add "source of income" as a locally protected class and that the center is available to help residents and landlords navigate the change.

Seaborne said source-of-income discrimination occurs when a housing provider denies housing, offers different terms, or otherwise treats a person unfairly because of a lawful, verifiable income source such as Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, pensions, child-support, or a Housing Choice Voucher (formerly called Section 8). "Source of income discrimination is the practice of housing providers denying housing ... because of their lawful source of income," she said.

The presentation explained how voucher programs work: voucher holders typically pay about 30% of adjusted household…