ORDINANCE NO. ______, SERIES 2022
TITLE
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING LOUISVILLE/JEFFERSON COUNTY METRO CODE OF ORDINANCES CHAPTER 92 REGARDING UNLAWFUL PRACTICES IN CONNECTION WITH HOUSING TO INCLUDE THE PROHIBITION OF CERTAIN ECONOMIC DISCRIMINATION.
BODY
SPONSORED BY: COUNCIL MEMBERS HOLLANDER AND ARTHUR
WHEREAS, the Legislative Council of the Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government (the “Council”) amended LMCO § 92.03 in Ordinance 395, Series 2019 to include lawful source of income as a protected class, preventing housing discrimination based on the status of a person’s lawful source of income;
WHEREAS, Council acknowledges reports from Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government (“Metro”) agencies that housing providers are maintaining income-to-rent ratio policies that effectively avoid Metro’s anti-discriminatory housing policies;
WHEREAS, housing providers that maintain an income-to-rent ratio requirement to lease their property are disproportionally denying housing to persons based on their lawful source of income, particularly those individuals who receive a government secured form of rental assistance;
WHEREAS, Metro has an interest in enforcing its anti-discrimination housing ordinances to ensure that all Metro residents are free from unlawful discrimination with regard to housing;
WHEREAS, Council intends to amend Title IX, Chapter 92 to include protection from income-to-rent ratio requirements that work a discriminatory effect against individuals whose rental payments are supplemented by payments by other individuals, organizations, or governmental agencies; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF THE LOUISVILLE/JEFFERSON COUNTY METRO GOVERNMENT (“THE COUNCIL”) AS FOLLOWS:
Section I: That the Council does hereby amend Title IX, Chapter 92, Section 92.03 to include:
(R) Use a financial or income standard for the rental of housing that fails to account for any rental payments or portions of rental payments that will be made by other individuals, organizations, or governmental agencies on the same basis as rental payments to be made directly by the tenant or prospective tenant;
Section II: This Ordinance shall be effective upon its passage and approval or otherwise becoming law.
_______________________________ _____________________________
Sonya Harward David James
Metro Council Clerk President of the Council
________________________________ _____________________________
Greg Fischer Approval Date
Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY:
Michael J. O’Connell
Jefferson County Attorney
By: ___________________________
O-344-22 Amendment to LMCO 92.03 to Prohibit Certain Economic Discrimination JDF 110722