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The normally feisty and
outspoken representative of District 4 seems to have
transformed from a “solo, fight every single battle and take
no prisoners” approach to a new strategy of pursuing change
through collaboration and quiet influence.
Never one to shy away from
controversial issues, Councilwoman Yvonne Harper is teaming
with fellow councilman Nick Komives on a piece of necessary
legislation to defeat walls used to limit housing
opportunities for low to moderate income individuals and
families.
The legislation, an
amendment to the City of Toledo’s existing nondiscrimination
ordinance for housing and employment, adds additional
protections to push back on landlords who discriminate
against people who receive disability benefits, military
benefits, child support, alimony, rent vouchers and public
housing assistance or any other legal reliable income.
According to the American
news website Think Progress, landlords have commonly engaged
in discrimination by denying safe and affordable housing to
low-income families who use federal housing vouchers to pay
their rent.
The Harper/Komives
proposal empowers those receiving public housing assistance,
Section 8 vouchers and other legal sources of income to go
into the private market to rent apartments.
Yet, some councilmembers,
although sympathetic to the plight of the low-income
demographic, remain on the fence about the legislation.
“Part of the problem is that the landlords (local Realtors
Association and private real estate owners) run the show
around here and they have no fear of evicting people,” as
one legislator lamented.
Another councilmember,
perhaps concerned about possible added costs and compliance
requirements for the powerful interest group stated “It
(legislation) can’t just be fair for the people that have
the vouchers, it must also be fair for the people taking the
risk and buying the property and trying to make money.”
Did the councilman say
“fair?!”
The current practice of
“just saying no” to those who rely on Section 8 vouchers
certainly has a disparate negative impact on families with
children, people of color and those with disabilities –
those who depend on alternative sources of income.
Without new legislation or
additional protections, voucher holders and others are
forced to remain confined to lower income, lower opportunity
areas as landlords continue to erect “walls” around higher
opportunity areas, limiting access and perpetuating
segregated living patterns and racial concentrations of
poverty at a time when various “walls” are dividing the
nation.
“Fairness” means that “if
people want to live somewhere, how they pay for their rent
shouldn’t be what prevents them from being able to live in a
place,” according to Sarah Jenkins of the Fair Housing
Center.
“We do want to make sure
that landlords have protection as well,” she adds. “The
Homelessness Board is working on a Housing First model and
this is a piece that furthers their initiative. It also
allows the City of Toledo to say that ‘we are furthering our
fair housing initiatives which is a requirement under
federal law in order for us to continue to receive fair
housing dollars or HOME dollars and other grant monies that
might come through.’ So it’s going to be quite a process
this year.”
I agree with Jenkins.
And, while the fight to
expand housing opportunities may include some public
skirmishes, success in overcoming these walls of
discrimination may ultimately lie in collaboration and quiet
influence rather than a sledgehammer approach.
If so, Councilpersons
Harper and Komives are well equipped to succeed.
Contact Rev. Donald Perryman, D.Min, at
drdlperryman@centerofhopebaptist.org
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