| 45 | | - | WHEREAS, the federal Fair Housing Act, title 42 United States Code sections 3601-3619, and chapter 515, Hawaii Revised Statutes, regarding discrimination in real property transactions, do not prevent landlords from discriminating against rental applicants with federal Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8 housing vouchers); and WHEREAS, Honolulu is one of the largest cities in the United States that does not prohibit source of income discrimination in housing; and WHEREAS, the extreme difficulty that low-income individuals experience in finding affordable rentals is exacerbated when housing vacancy advertisements proclaim "no Section 8 accepted" or "Section 8 need not apply" in an effort to prevent low-income individuals with housing vouchers from being considered as tenants; and WHEREAS, studies have shown that when there are policies to prevent discrimination against rental applicants with housing vouchers, those applicants are twelve percent more likely to find housing; and WHEREAS, source of income discrimination is currently prohibited in sixteen states and the District of Columbia, as well as numerous cities and counties throughout the United States; and WHEREAS, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted many residents' ability to make rental payments, which adds additional pressure on low-income residents who have lost their jobs and income and those who are struggling to secure more affordable rental housing; and WHEREAS, the reluctance of landlords to rent to individuals that participate in housing assistance programs during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted the utilization of new federal resources, such as the Emergency Housing Voucher Program and the Emergency Rental Assistance Program; and WHEREAS, with twenty-two thousand single mothers residing in the State and ninety-two percent of single mothers in Hawaii reporting having lost financial independence during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing landlords to consider a rental applicant's source of income or participation in housing assistance programs is a proxy for discrimination against women; and WHEREAS, the State should adopt policies and rules that encourage access to housing for all people, regardless of their source of income; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2022, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Governor is requested to order all executive agencies to review their policies and rules and make any revisions necessary to prohibit discrimination in rental transactions and advertisements for rental transactions based on source of income or participation in housing assistance programs; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that each executive agency is requested to submit a report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2023, on the status of its review and any revisions of its policies and rules necessary to prohibit discrimination in rental transactions and advertisements for rental transactions based on source of income or participation in housing assistance programs; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor. Report Title: Executive Agencies; Non-Discrimination; Rental Transactions; Source of Income; Housing Assistance Programs |
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| 43 | + | WHEREAS, the federal Fair Housing Act, title 42 United States Code sections 3601-3619, and chapter 515, Hawaii Revised Statutes, regarding discrimination in real property transactions, do not prevent landlords from discriminating against rental applicants with federal Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8 housing vouchers); and WHEREAS, Honolulu is one of the largest cities in the United States that does not prohibit source of income discrimination in housing; and WHEREAS, the extreme difficulty that low-income individuals experience in finding affordable rentals is exacerbated when housing vacancy advertisements proclaim "no Section 8 accepted" or "Section 8 need not apply" in an effort to prevent low-income individuals with housing vouchers from being considered as tenants; and WHEREAS, studies have shown that when there are policies to prevent discrimination against rental applicants with housing vouchers, those applicants are twelve percent more likely to find housing; and WHEREAS, source of income discrimination is currently prohibited in sixteen states and the District of Columbia, as well as numerous cities and counties throughout the United States; and WHEREAS, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted many residents' ability to make rental payments, which adds additional pressure on low-income residents who have lost their jobs and income, and those who are struggling to secure more affordable rental housing; and WHEREAS, the reluctance of landlords to rent to individuals that participate in housing assistance programs during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted the utilization of new federal resources, such as the Emergency Housing Voucher Program, as well as the Emergency Rental Assistance Program; and WHEREAS, with twenty-two thousand single mothers residing in the State and ninety-two percent of single mothers in Hawaii reporting having lost financial independence during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing landlords to consider a rental applicant's source of income or participation in housing assistance programs is a proxy for discrimination against women; and WHEREAS, the State should adopt policies and rules that encourage access to housing for all people, regardless of their source of income; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2022, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Governor be requested to order all executive agencies to review their policies and rules and make any revisions necessary to prohibit discrimination in rental transactions and advertisements for rental transactions based on source of income or participation in housing assistance programs; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all executive agencies are requested to submit a report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2023, on the status of its review and any revisions of their policies and rules necessary to prohibit discrimination in rental transactions and advertisements for rental transactions based on source of income or participation in housing assistance programs; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor. OFFERED BY: _____________________________ Report Title: Permanent Supporting Housing; Source of Income; Rental Discrimination; Prohibited Practices; Housing Assistance Program; Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers |
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