Lincoln City Council votes unanimously to put housing initiative on the ballot

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Lincolnites will vote this spring on a proposal to ban source-of-income discrimination in housing.

The Lincoln City Council voted 7-0 on Monday to place the initiative on the May 6 general election ballot.

A group called Lincoln for Fair Housing submitted a petition for the initiative, which had at least 9,298 valid signatures.

SEE ALSO: Election officials certify petition for Lincoln fair housing ballot initiative

It would prohibit landlords from rejecting potential tenants who use Section 8 vouchers, Social Security benefits or other forms of assistance.

“Source-of-income housing discrimination hurts families, veterans, seniors, and people with disabilities, and it can lead to so many other social, economic, and public safety issues,” Lincoln for Fair Housing said in a press release after the council vote. “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.”

SEE ALSO: Organizers say fair housing petition in Lincoln surpassed signature requirements

Opponents argue that landlords will face higher administrative costs as they comply with voucher rules.

“This could deter landlords from participating in voucher programs, ultimately reducing availability of rental housing,” one woman said at the council meeting. “Some landlords might choose to exit the rental market.”