Lakeside Community Development Corporation works to preserve and create affordable housing options. We naturally support amending the Cook County Human Rights Ordinance to help low-income families apply for rental apartments in suburban Cook County.The amendment would eliminate a provision that currently makes it legal for landlords to refuse to accept applications from Housing Choice Voucher holders. The amendment is sponsored by Commissioner Jesus Garcia and co-sponsored by Commissioners Larry Suffredin, whose district includes a portion of the Lakeside service area.

Presently, a landlord in suburban Cook County cannot refuse to accept a rental application from an applicant based on the applicant's source of income, such as child support or a disability payment. The CCHRO excludes "Section 8" as a source of income, however. This means a landlord can refuse to accept an application from a Housing Choice Voucher applicant simply because they have a voucher. HCV applicants include seniors, the disabled, families with children, and minorities. Historically, source of income discrimination has prevented these groups from enjoying the same access to equal housing afforded by fair housing laws. Because a landlord cannot refuse an applicant based on disability status, for example, source of income served as a "safe harbor" for discrimination. Source of income discrimination, including Section 8, is prohibited in Chicago and in six other Illinois municipalities, as well as 10 states and the District of Columbia. It should be fully prohibited in suburban Cook County.

Lakeside believes amending the CCHRO is the right thing to do. Amending the CCHRO would not require property owners to rent to households with Housing Choice Vouchers, but to simply accept their applications. Property owners will still have the right to screen applicants and would still need to agree to participate in the program and have their units qualified through inspections. Most of the application process is handled by the applicant, so applying is really not a burden on the landlord. Applicants would be required to meet the guidelines of the program, which are very stringent.

And once approved, a landlord can anticipate receiving a regular rent payment, something that is not always certain when renting to a non-HCV applicant.

We do not think that HCV families deserve any special protections or accommodations, but we do think they deserve the same right to compete for rental apartments that others enjoy. For this reason, we join dozens of like-minded organizations and call on the Cook County Board to end one last vestige of legal discrimination by amending the Cook County Human Rights Ordinance.

For a fact sheet on this issue, click here. We also have a document summarizing some of the myths about source of income protections.

To sign on to the campaign or get more information, contact Brendan Saunders, Interfaith Housing Center of the Northern Suburbs, 847-501-4352 x402 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .