City Enacts Source of Income Anti-Discrimination Legislation
Upper Arlington City Council recently approved making amendments to the City’s non-discrimination ordinance to include source of income protections for housing rentals. Ordinance 38-2024, which takes effect mid-July, updates relevant sections of Chapter 525 – Unlawful Discriminatory Practices – of the City’s Code of Ordinances.
This new provision prohibits landlords from discriminating against renters who rely on income sources other than employment income and who report such sources during the credit check process when seeking to rent property. These alternate sources of income may include child or spousal support, loan programs, Veterans benefits, Social Security income for older adults, Supplemental Security Income for individuals with disabilities, or other governmental support payments.
Source of income discrimination by landlords is not prohibited under the U.S. Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 or under Ohio fair housing laws. As a result, source of income provisions are being instituted at the local level. In Central Ohio, the communities of Bexley, Worthington, Grandview Heights, Gahanna, Reynoldsburg and Whitehall already have these protections on the books, and real estate search website like Zillow often include source of income protection provisions as part of a community’s profile information.
A study by the Franklin County Office of Justice and Policy Programs found that within UA’s three zip codes, 19% of renters are older adults, approximately 150 households receive disability income, approximately 550 of the community’s Veterans have a disability, and approximately 1,200 children live in single-family households that often rely on some form of child or spousal support. The City’s new source of income anti-discrimination legislation will help ensure that these members of our community are afforded the same opportunities as individuals or families who report wage income when seeking to rent property in UA.
Use the links below for more on this legislation: