Tucson Standard

Tucson city officials say that despite a housing shortage in the area, they still have to battle landlord discrimination, especially toward those who receive federal housing assistance.

“We have a growing homeless population because we are unable to provide housing,” Jean Fedigan, CEO of Sister Jose Women’s Center, said. “One of our biggest challenges is getting more landlords in the housing choice voucher program.” 

Fedigan told KGUN that a growing number of women she works with at the center are over 70, and many have been turned away by landlords because they were on social security or are part of the housing voucher program.

That’s why city officials in Tucson are attempting to make it illegal for landlords to reject a potential tenant’s rental application over their source of income alone. Fedigan said that makes for less availability for those in need of housing.

“That just means there are fewer units for people to be able to utilize and it's tragic," she said. "Because what happens then, is they’re on the street.”

While some landlords complain that it takes too long for the city to inspect and pay for rent for those on the voucher program, officials say they will make the process more efficient, the story stated.

“We have improved that, and we’re encouraging more property owners to give more families, more individuals opportunities to live in a safe and secure home,” Ernesto Portillo of Tucson Housing and Community Development, said. 

Either way, the city wants to eliminate financial concerns as the sole reason to reject a candidate.

"We’re saying you need to have another reason for not extending somebody’s lease other than ‘I don’t want to participate in your housing choice voucher program, I don’t want to take someone on social security,” City Council member Steve Kozachik said.