Human Rights Ordinance - Fair Housing

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Alachua County Human Rights Ordinance, Chapter 111 of the Alachua County Code, protects individuals against discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in employment, housing, and public accommodations within the geographic boundaries of Alachua County.

Additional protected categories against housing discrimination include familial status, citizenship status, lawful source of income, veteran or service member status, or being the victim of dating/domestic violence or stalking.

What is “Lawful Source of Income”?

Lawful source of income means the lawful, verifiable income paid directly to a tenant or paid to a representative of a tenant, including but not limited to:

Income derived from social security, supplemental security income, child support, alimony, veteran’s benefits, disability benefits, or any form of federal, state or local public, food, or housing assistance or subsidy, including assistance from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Housing Choice Voucher Program or “Section 8” vouchers, whether such income is received directly or indirectly by the renter or purchaser and includes supplemental income.

What's New

On July 13, 2021, the Board voted to amend the Lawful Source of Income provision (which includes housing subsidies such as “Section 8” vouchers) to address equity concerns for voucher holders in the search for housing. Effective September 1, 2021, a landlord or any agent of a landlord:

• May not disqualify or refuse to rent to Section 8 voucher holders on the basis of their status as a voucher holder.
• May only consider the portion of the rent that the Section 8 voucher holder is required to pay out-of-pocket (as determined by the local housing authority issuing the voucher) in any rent-to-income financial qualification calculation.