Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons
New legislation going through the Iowa State House would force landlords to rent to tenants who need public assistance to pay rent.
The two bills would make it so landlords have to accept housing vouchers, but many landlords don’t like the proposed legislation.
Bruce Teague, Iowa City mayor and a landlord, said the bills concern him, and he’s not the only one.
“I just don’t like the government mandating that we have to,” Ronald Brozene, an Iowa City landlord said to KCRG-TV news. Brozene said he thinks the legislation is unfair.
Steven Rakis, Iowa City’s Housing Authority administrator, said the bills are a way to have landlords screen everyone for rentals in the same way – whether they have vouchers or not.
In June 2016, Iowa City Council passed an ordinance which required government-backed vouchers to be accepted by landlords in the city. Rakis said that the purpose of it was to eliminate discrimination issues.
While not all landlords are in favor of the new legislation, Teague told KCRG-TV news that he believes the “intent” of it is working.
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