Enforce federal housing voucher users' rights

Housing discrimination comes in many forms. Some of it is obvious; some less so.

But the notion of discriminating against potential tenants who utilize government housing choice vouchers seems especially egregious, and is worth increased vigilance. 

It's hard enough for Long Island renters to qualify for the federal Housing Choice Voucher Program, as the effort once called Section 8 is now known. Once families with very low incomes, seniors, and those with disabilities obtain a voucher, sometimes after lengthy waits, it should put them on the path toward finding appropriate housing they can afford.

Instead, as a lawsuit from the nonprofit Housing Rights Initiative indicates, many Long Island tenants couldn't rent apartments even after they had secured the guarantee of monthly vouchers. Eleven landlords and real estate brokers named in the suit turned them away.

That's a troubling trend, and another reason why the elusive dream of finding appropriate, affordable housing on Long Island remains unattainable for too many. 

And usually, it's not about the voucher itself. After all, a family with a housing choice voucher won't default. Rent will always be paid — on time — if not early. The process is simple, and there's no reason for a landlord or real estate broker to refuse it.

Except, of course, for the underlying, ugly assumptions those landlords and brokers might be making about a family that carries the voucher with them.

And if  landlords or real estate brokers consistently say "no," those vouchers can become worthless, leaving families with few options, until someone, finally, says "yes." 

Discriminating due to the source of a renter's income has been illegal since 2007 and state Human Rights Law was amended in 2019 to clarify and identify those covered by the law, including those who use child support, Social Security payments and, yes, federal housing vouchers.

The law exists. But the state, in many cases, isn't enforcing it. 

So, state and federal officials should expand enforcement, add more testing and recognize that the source of a renter's income is a breeding ground for discrimination. But they have to go beyond that. Increased training, for landlords and brokers, but also for voucher-holding tenants, is necessary. Tenants must know their rights, and what to look for, since often, such discrimination is indirect and discreet. And there must be a simplified process for renters to report landlords who refuse to accept their vouchers.

And the state must consider more punitive repercussions for those who engage in such discriminatory practices. Real estate brokers should lose their licenses; landlords should lose their rental permits. The harsher the penalty, the more likely the behavior will stop.

State officials have put an enormous spotlight on the importance of creating more housing to make sure every resident has an affordable place to live. That work is meaningless if residents in the most need of such housing can't even find their way in the door.