The Ohio Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights released a report following a series of public meetings and a collection of public testimony regarding the civil-rights impact of source-of-income (SOI) discrimination in Ohio housing. The report examines the extent to which SOI discrimination may demonstrate a disparate impact on housing access based on race, color, sex, disability, age, religion, familial status, marital status, military status, and/or national origin. The report also examines the extent to which specific state or local policies and practices may contribute to identified disparities, as well as alternative policies or recommendations with the demonstrated potential to address such concerns.
Primary concerns identified in the report include: (1) the existing need for affordable housing and the impact source-of-income discrimination has on families’ ability to access available units; (2) demonstrated disparate impact of SOI discrimination on federally protected classes; (3) administrative delays and requirements that may discourage landlords from voluntarily participating in publicly supported housing initiatives such as the housing choice voucher program; (4) the broader impact of SOI discrimination on public fair-housing goals and the effectiveness of housing assistance programs. The report concludes with a series of policy recommendations to improve access to housing and address related civil rights concerns moving forward.
mwojnaroski@usccr.gov