PROVIDENCE – Mayor Jorge O. Elorza publicly criticized the City Council’s finance committee this week for failing to recommend revisions to an existing ordinance that would protect tenants with sources of income, including housing vouchers and Social Security income.
The proposal would have prohibited landlords from screening tenants based on their source of income, rather than the amount of income. It is common to see online ads for Providence apartments with language such as: “No Section 8.”
The ordinance containing the new language was not voted out of committee, so it will not reach the full City Council.
Elorza this week released a short statement:
“No one should be denied access to a safe and affordable home. Locally we will continue to advocate for our residents who depend on this support, with 3,000 households here in Providence relying on Housing Choice Vouchers and countless families statewide who need these vouchers to secure housing.”
A state proposal to also ban income source-based discrimination in housing has not been approved.
Mary MacDonald is a staff writer for the PBN. Contact her at macdonald@pbn.com.
