Lincoln voters will decide May 6 whether to ban landlords from discriminating against tenants based on their source of income, after the City Council approved adding the measure to the general election ballot Monday.
Councilmembers voted 7-0 to put the Lincoln For Fair Housing initiative before voters, opting not to approve the measure outright as written.
Currently, landlord are allowed to refuse lawful forms of rent payment such as section 8 or housing vouchers. If approved by voters, property owners would no longer be able to deny a tenant housing or otherwise treat a tenant differently if they are receiving rental assistance from an alternative source of income.
Tenants using social security, veteran benefits, disability, working for tips or cash wages, and working informal jobs would also be protected.
A multitudinous coalition of 19 advocacy groups submit over 15,000 petition signatures to the council, far exceeding the 8,825 required signatures from registered Lincoln voters to qualify the ballot measure. Their signature gathering campaign lasted about 6 weeks.
“I appreciate that this has been years for some folks who’ve been working on this issue,” said Council Chair Sändra Washington, prior to the vote. “The petitioners did exactly what the initiative process laid out. You collected the signatures and brought it to us.”
“On May 6, Lincoln can stand up for fairness, opportunity, and a stronger, safer, healthier Lincoln for all. Voting FOR fair housing will help make Lincoln a place where everyone has a fair shot at a safe and stable home,” the campaign said in a statement, following approval. “Nearly half of Lincoln renters are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing. And one in three Lincolnites with housing vouchers struggle to find landlords who will accept them, even though these vouchers guarantee rent payments.”
“Luckily, the solution is simple, and between now and Election Day, we will knock on doors, make calls, and talk to our neighbors so Lincoln voters understand what is at stake. We invite every Lincolnite who believes in fairness and opportunity to learn more, volunteer, and help us pass this long-overdue protection.”
For more information, visit FairHousingLNK.org.