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Commissioner raises concern about two-tier waitlists for voucher holders; motion to add agenda item fails
Summary
Commissioner Eddie Gorse told the Housing Commission that constituents reported landlords using two-tier waitlists that exclude voucher holders, potentially violating SB 329 and SB 222; staff said the Housing Authority has not received widespread reports but offered landlord outreach and advised tenants to seek legal aid; a motion to place the issue on a future Housing Commission agenda failed for lack of a second.
Commissioner Eddie Gorse told the Carlsbad Housing Commission on July 11 that residents had reported some landlords or management companies are operating a two-tier waitlist that excludes people using Housing Choice Vouchers or similar subsidies. "There should not be a two-tiered system of who can participate," Gorse said. "Source of income is not supposed to be discriminated against."
Gorse asked staff to schedule an educational outreach item for landlords and requested that the City Attorney weigh in on whether those practices violate state law, referencing SB 329 and SB 222. Housing Services Manager Christian responded that the Housing Authority had not received similar complaints from program participants but offered to investigate, expand outreach as part of planned landlord engagement, and include legal informational resources. "The state law does allow for the subsidy amount to count towards their income calculation," Christian said, describing how voucher subsidy can be treated in income screening.
Staff advised affected tenants to contact the Housing Authority or seek legal aid if they believed they had been discriminated against. Commissioners debated whether to request legal input from the City Attorney specifically; one commissioner said the City Attorney could provide a faster, more authoritative legal determination than outside legal-aid providers.
Commissioner Gorse moved to place the issue on a future Housing Commission agenda; the motion failed for lack of a second. Staff said they plan landlord outreach as part of the Housing Choice Voucher Program and that any informational item would likely appear in 2025.
Why it matters: if landlords are excluding voucher holders from the main applicant pool, tenants reliant on vouchers could face reduced access to housing; state laws referenced in commission discussion are intended to prohibit source-of-income discrimination.
What's next: staff will consider landlord outreach and will follow up with commissioners on whether to request City Attorney review; affected residents were advised to pursue complaint processes through the Housing Authority or legal aid.
