Developers that receive support from the City of Charlotte cannot reject renters on those properties based solely on whether they use vouchers or other subsidies. City Council approved the policy Tuesday.
One out of five Housing Choice Vouchers in Charlotte expire before holders can use them, often because they can’t find a place to rent. That’s according to Inlivian, formerly the Charlotte Housing Authority.
Charlotte already requires developments receiving Housing Trust Fund money to take renters using subsidies. That consists of 80% to 90% of the housing the city supports. This policy would expand that to developers using other assistance including, Tax Increment Grants and community block grants.
City Council member Braxton Winston said the new policy closes a loophole, but acknowledged that those protections apply to only a small number of projects.
"We don’t want to fund our own discrimination with our own dollars. I think that’s a good thing, but it’s also not a scalable option," said Winston. "We need to keep working to find a scalable solution."
The policy includes developments with affordable and market-rate units.
City Council voted 9-2 for the policy. Council members still have to consider how to enforce it. They’re expected to vote on that on August 22.
