Housing discrimination based on the source of someone’s income would be illegal under Michigan bills that received a committee hearing today.
Currently, Michigan landlords can deny a unit to someone because they depend on housing vouchers or other subsidy programs.
The bills would change both state landlord-tenant and civil rights law to ban that practice.
Democratic Senator Jeff Irwin is a package sponsor. He says the bills would help get more people in vulnerable situations into housing.
“This is a problem in communities all over our state where folks are receiving veterans benefits or child support, particularly around Section 8 benefits are being discriminated against.”
Some groups are concerned about whether the bills as written would block landlords from ensuring tenants’ ability to pay rent consistently.