Section 8 Accepted Everywhere Statewide
Written by wdkxwp on May 1, 2019
A new state law has made it so that landlords can no longer discriminate against tenants based on their income source, meaning landlords can’t refuse Section 8 housing vouchers, veterans benefits, or any other lawful sources of income.
This law has been in place within the city of Rochester since 2017 but hasn’t ever been closely enforced. When it comes to Section 8 tenants must maintain program eligibility to continue to receive housing assistance. Landlords run the risk of losing out on rental income, often times without much notice, if their tenants are terminated from the program, causing many to blatantly disregard the law.
This new law brings with it the hope that more local enforcement will begin to take place. Governor Cuomo stated:
“Too often unscrupulous landlords unfairly block seniors, single mothers, survivors of domestic violence and other New Yorkers from renting a home simply because of where they get their income, that ends today. With this legislation, we will stop this discriminatory behavior once and for all and ensure every New Yorker has access to fair housing.”
