OASH talks income discrimination ordinance, winter house
Oxford Area Solutions for Housing discussed a new city ordinance that was read through for the first time Tuesday, as well as ideas and advice for its Oxford Winter House project during a meeting Monday.
Landlords may no longer be able to refuse to rent or lease to someone based solely on their income in the City of Oxford if an ordinance proposed by city councilors Mike Smith and Chantel Raghu is adopted.
This ordinance was introduced to the Oxford Area Solutions for Housing (OASH) meeting on Monday for public feedback.
The ordinance, titled, “Prohibition on Source of Income Discrimination in Housing,” was also read for the first time during the Oxford City Council meeting Tuesday evening. Ordinances must be read two times before the council votes to codify them unless passed as an emergency.
If the council were to adopt the proposed ordinance, any housing providers, including owners, lessors, sublessors, assignees, managing agents and representatives could not legally refuse to rent or lease a property to someone based on their income.
According to the ordinance, if passed, the housing provider could also not impose different rental terms or fees, apply different requirements or lie about housing availability to someone because of their income. They would also be unable to discourage someone from applying.
Under the ordinance, if a housing provider would require a minimum income level or other financial standard, all lawful sources of income should be included in calculating whether the standards have been met. The provider must also not apply an income multiple or ratio requirement, like a rule that income must be equal to or exceed three times the monthly rent.
Sources of income would include wages; social security; salaries; supplemental security income; public or private assistance payments or subsidies; housing choice vouchers or other rent vouchers; unemployment compensation; child support; and spousal support.
If passed, housing providers who violate the ordinance would be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree and the city could impose civil fines of up to $1,000 per violation.
Coercing or assisting another housing provider to discriminate against someone because of their income or retaliating against someone for upholding their rights under the new ordinance would also be prohibited, if passed.
The ordinance, Smith said, would go into effect 90 days after it’s passed. The city council will have the chance to vote on the ordinance during its Nov. 4 meeting.
Stacey Burge, CEO of Found House Interfaith Housing Network, asked if the legislation addressed rental caps for housing vouchers, to which Smith responded it does not because the city cannot force housing providers to offer reduced rents.
Ann Fuehrer, an OASH facilitator and Housing Advisory Commission (HAC) member, said one issue discussed by HAC in supporting the project was that enforcement would rely on renters or lessees bringing a complaint against a property owner.
Susan Wilson, a leasing manager for College Property Management, said the company she works for asks for a parent guarantee for student renters. She said they also ask renters or parents to have three times the rent in income to “ensure they have enough.”
Smith told the Oxford Free Press following the meeting, the ordinance was vetted by the city attorney and two other organizations who have passed similar laws.
He said of the concerns shared during the meeting, “I can see both sides of it, but I think we’re going to go ahead with it as it is and see how it goes.”
Raghu said during Tuesday’s city council meeting when the ordinance was read, “The main reason why this is super important is that everywhere, being Oxford, there's a shortage of good, safe, decent, affordable housing, especially places that will accept vouchers.”
Raghu told the city council there is currently only one apartment complex in town which accepts housing vouchers.
“What that leaves families with, and veterans and single moms with is that they are forced to live in a centralized area of poverty in which they may or may not be taken advantage of by their landlords,” she said.
Fuehrer spoke during the city council meeting in support of the ordinance, saying, “Housing is a basic human right – a civil right – and the safety nets are being shredded. (Putting) these commitments and values into action (is) essential.”
‘Oxford Winter House’
The city’s cold shelter project, which was finalized following a grant from the city council, has been renamed to the “Oxford Winter House,” as “cold shelter” is used as a technical term.
Jenny Bailer, a member of the planning group, told OASH the property was rented out by Brian Urell, owner of Fedora Transportation, who has agreed to the group using the building for free as the Oxford Winter House during the three months of the year it’ll be operational: December, January and February.
Although the project was given $70,000 from the city for the shelter that will be located at 5223 College Corner Pike, Bailer said more funding will be needed for remodeling.
Donations and volunteer sign-up opportunities can be accessed online at oashox.org/winter-2025.
