Charlotte becomes first NC city to pass protections against income discrimination

Charlotte Journalism Collaborative

2 years ago

Advocates have rallied for a few years in Charlotte to amend local housing ordinances to provide protections against discrimination based on a rental applicant’s source of income, such as veterans benefits, disability checks and Section 8 housing vouchers. Photo from Feb. 22, 2021 rally outside the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center in uptown. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com

by Genna Contino, The Charlotte Observer

Charlotte became the first city in North Carolina to implement protections against source of income discrimination Monday night.

The policy is intended to protect people who pay for housing with vouchers, a federal subsidy that helps renters with monthly payments. Under the new policy, owners of city-supported housing approved in the future could receive thousands of dollars in fines if they fail to comply in a timely manner.

The policy would apply only to housing that received city subsidies, not developments funded without city support. The policy was spearheaded by City Councilwoman Victoria Watlington with the purpose of providing “opportunities for individuals and families to obtain safe, quality affordable housing,” city documents state.

Read more at The Charlotte Observer