At their July 27 Committee Meetings, City Council will be presented with background information on source of income discrimination in preparation for a source of income protection ordinance, expected to be introduced later this summer for consideration. Learn about source of income discrimination and protection from the presentation slides and FAQ below. More information, including the consideration timeline and resources for prospective tenants and landlords is coming soon.
July 27 City Council Committee Meeting
View Presentation Slides
About Source of Income Discrimination and Protection
What is source of income (SOI) discrimination?
SOI discrimination is a practice by which landlords, owners and real estate brokers refuse to rent to prospective tenants seeking to pay for housing with housing assistance vouchers, subsidies, or other forms of public assistance.
What are potential sources of income that would be protected?
Potential sources of income that are not currently protected, but that would be protected should an ordinance be adopted would include:
- People with disabilities receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Seniors receiving SSI or income from other retirement programs
- Lower income households receiving Housing Vouchers
- Families with children receiving public assistance
- Veterans benefits
- People receiving alimony or child support
Is SOI not already protected?
SOI discrimination is not currently prohibited by federal or state law (although 18 other states do have such laws, along with 100 other cities and Washington D.C.).
Since Ohio is a home rule state, municipalities can pass laws to govern themselves, including the passage of SOI discrimination legislation that expands protections of the Fair Housing Act. In Central Ohio, the cities of Columbus, Bexley, Reynoldsburg, Westerville and Worthington have all recently passed SOI protection ordinances.
Are individuals actually being denied housing based on their source of income?
Yes. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reports that without SOI protection, prospective tenants (typically from vulnerable populations) are denied rentals at a rate of 78%. With SOI protection, that rate falls below 15% on average.