The Brown Daily Herald: Students lobby for housing legislation

Bill introduced Tuesday would protect potential renters who receive housing vouchers

By COLLEEN CRONIN
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Tuesday, February 27, 2018

University students lobbied for a bill designed to eliminate housing discrimination against homeless individuals Tuesday afternoon at the Rhode Island State House. House Bill No. 7528, entitled “An Act Relating to Property — Fair Housing Practices,” was introduced to the House Committee on Judiciary by seven Democratic representatives.

The bill will allow more of Rhode Island's homeless community to find housing, said Morgan Talbot '18, advocacy director for Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere. Without this legislation, landlords can discriminate against buyers in the Housing Choice Voucher program, which gives supplemented rent to those that score highest on the homelessness vulnerability index form, he added.

As part of their research, HOPE finds housing listings that discriminate against potential buyers who receive vouchers. “It's pretty sad to see these,” Talbot said. “Sometimes it's like, 'No dogs, no smoking, no Section 8.'”

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