Housing for All
In March 2021, Columbus City Council passed the Housing for All
legislative package, which amended Chapters 4501
and 4551
of Columbus City Code. The amendments are intended to address some of the
critical affordable housing challenges within the City of Columbus by providing
residents fair access and protections in the search for affordable housing. The
three ordinances include: Source of Income, Renter’s Choice and Rental Receipt
Legislation.
Source
of Income Discrimination (0494-2021) - Operators are prohibited
from denying prospective tenants based upon their lawful source of income,
including but not limited to, income derived from wages, social security,
supplemental security income, public or private sources, all forms of federal,
state or local assistance payments or subsidies, including rent vouchers, child
support, spousal support, and public assistance.
Renter’s
Choice (0495-2021) - If an operator requires a tenant to pay a
security deposit, they must provide two alternatives to paying the deposit in
full, including the payment of the security deposit over a series of 3 monthly
installments, or the payment of the security deposit in 6 monthly installments.
Rental
Receipt (0496-2021) - Operators must provide tenants with a
written receipt upon payment of rent or a security deposit.