by: Sean McDowell/Fox 4 KC
Renters have complained of thinly-veiled redlining for years. A newly proposed ordinance in Kansas City, Missouri aims to stop an alleged form of that practice. This proposal would make it unlawful for landlords to deny renters due to their source of income.
Battle cries for fair housing practices in Kansas City have grown in recent years, especially as the need for affordable housing mounts higher. KC Tenants leaders collaborated with Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas on this proposal.
Members of that advocacy group were joined by the mayor during a midday celebration outside City Hall. Activists complain landlords are often refusing to accept Section Eight housing vouchers for housing. Instead, those landlords demand to know where a potential renter’s income originates.
KC Tenants and others complain that’s discrimination against people of color, tip workers, military veterans and the disabled among others.
“This is discrimination plain and simple. This discrimination affects black single mothers more than anyone else. That ain’t right. Landlords won’t take vouchers,” Alaysha Jenkins, a spokesperson for KC Tenants, said.
“A lot of people thought it was already illegal. They thought this was already happening,” Damo Murphy, another KC Tenants member, said. “It was up to us to make sure we fought for this common sense thing is common.”
Source of Income discrimination is already banned in six other major U.S. cities, and in six additional states, too. Lucas told the assembled crowd he’s rallied for a ban on Source of Income discrimination since he was a city council member. Lucas told the audience that 49% of Kansas City residents rent their homes.
“What is wrong with lawful income being part of how people can pay their rent? What is wrong with making sure people from all different walks of life can have an opportunity to live in our city,” Lucas said on Thursday.
The ordinance was introduced to council members on Thursday. The ordinance will be forwarded to a committee on December 7. There is some time before this ordinance would be signed into law. Landlords who break this law would face a possible thousand-dollar fine, and repeat offenders would be put on probation by the city.
