April 13, 2023
The Lawrence City Commission recently passed an ordinance that will create new protections against discrimination in housing and public accommodations in Lawrence. Beginning June 1, 2023, discrimination in housing based on a person’s source of income or immigration status will be prohibited. The new law also includes additional housing protections for any person who is a survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking or stalking, so long as the victim notifies the landlord appropriately.
The City, in conjunction with local agencies, such as the Lawrence Douglas County Housing Authority, will host several community meetings to answer questions before this law goes into effect. Mark your calendar for these upcoming events:
- April 18: 10 a.m. in the Lawrence Public Library Auditorium
- May 9: 2 p.m. in the Bly Room at Holcom Park Recreation Center
- May 24: 6 p.m. in the Legacy Room at Sports Pavilion
Among other protections, the new law will help protect people who use a Housing Choice Voucher – also known as a Section 8 voucher – to access affordable housing. Landlords will no longer be able to reject a tenant solely based on their use of a voucher.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development began using Housing Choice Vouchers so people in need of affordable housing would have more choice in where they decide to live. In Douglas County, all Housing Choice Vouchers are administered by the Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority (LDCHA). The City helps support the LDCHA through its affordable housing trust fund, which allocates money annually to organizations working to improve the availability of affordable housing in our community.
The new ordinance also benefits partner organizations that are working to provide housing supports and affordable housing, such as Tenants to Homeowners and the Housing Stabilization Collaborative, as it will create more housing opportunities for voucher holders.
When the new ordinance goes into effect on June 1, it will immediately increase the housing options for low-income Lawrence residents, which the City anticipates will reduce the amount of people currently experiencing homelessness in Lawrence. Some of these people have Housing Choice Vouchers now, but they are unable to find a landlord who will accept them.
Housing is the solution to homelessness, and this ordinance is another piece that gets this community a step closer to functional zero, which is a milestone that indicates a community has measurably solved homelessness for a population. When its achieved, homelessness is rare and brief for that population.
For more information on this new law, you can visit the City’s website at: lawrenceks.org/attorney/soi.
Contact: City Communications, citycommunications@lawrenceks.org