Harrison agency may change fair housing policy to include sexual orientation

The director of Harrison's Housing Authority wants to add four new protected classes to the city's fair housing policy.

February 07, 2013|by Joanna Small, KSPR News | Reporter and Photographer

HARRISON, Ark. -- This city is considering a major change to its fair housing policy. Four new classes may be protected under a non-discrimination ordinance. Harrison has no ordinance at all right now.

Harrison defers to the federal standards when it comes to housing. Seven classes are covered: race, religion, age, sex, disability, familial status, and national origin. The director of Harrison's Housing Authority wants to add four others for the whole city, two of which spark controversy.

"It was my idea, yeah," said Housing Authority Director Derek White.

White knew it would meet some resistance but he wasn't expecting this: at Thursday night's Harrison City Council meeting, his ordinance, which was up for a first reading and public comment, was tabled before either could happen. For White, it's personal.

"My mom left when I was 5 and left my dad and me high and dry, and my dad worked his tail off getting us. We had to live with my grandparents for a little bit and had a hard time for awhile, so I made a promise to myself that, if I was ever in a position to help people and give them a better opportunity, I would," he said.

That's why, just a few months into his position with HUD, he suggests Harrison beef up its fair housing policy.

"We want to be a proactive leader for the city and be an example for housing. Everybody deserves a chance to live somewhere safe, decent and affordable."

To include everybody, White wants to add sexual orientation, marital status, source of income, and ancestry to the list of protected classes.

Local landlords have some concerns.

"The last apartment I had, I let sit empty for about three months while I was looking for a qualified tenant," Bobby Woods said.

Woods says it's tough enough to find someone he deems a suitable renter now; a more inclusive ordinance would only make it tougher. Plus, he says, most of the new classes are already covered in the current classes, and "source of income" will be a difficult one to comply with.

"Generally you verify income sources, whether it's a job or Social Security," Woods said.

"It doesn't change anything in the way landlords qualify their tenants," said White.

The council didn't see it that way on Thursday, though. White will have to wait to present his case. He says, based on a the calls he's fielded, "source of income" has been the most contentious change. He says it should be possible to verify someone makes enough money to afford rent without asking where they work.

Woods is also president of the local landlord association, and he says none of the 50 or so members have a problem with any of the changes from a moral standpoint. He says it just comes down to practicality.

This week, the city's resources and policy committee approved the ordinance and sent it on to council.

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