Sponsors (17)
The bill strengthens housing nondiscrimination protections for people using vouchers, public benefits, unconventional income sources, and for veterans—improving access for vulnerable tenants—while increasing compliance burdens on landlords and slowing some oversight processes.
Low-income renters who receive housing assistance or nontraditional income (Section 8/vouchers, Social Security, SSI, Railroad Retirement, court-ordered payments, trusts or guardian/representative-payee disbursements) are explicitly protected from being denied rental housing because of those income sources, increasing access to housing for vulnerable tenants.
Veterans and active-duty service members gain explicit protection from housing discrimination through the addition of "veteran status" and "military status" definitions, reducing a potential source of bias in renting.
Nonprofits and local governments (and other service providers) have clearer authority to provide supportive services to people receiving housing assistance, reducing uncertainty and supporting wraparound services for assisted tenants.
Private landlords and property owners — especially small landlords — may incur increased compliance costs and face greater litigation risk as they revise screening and lease policies to accept a wider range of income sources.
Some housing providers may remain reluctant to rent to applicants with unconventional income (trusts, representative payees, or certain assistance), which could increase disputes, enforcement actions, and unequal access despite the legal protections.
Extending agency certification timelines (up to 40 months plus a possible 6-month extension) delays re-evaluation of agencies' compliance and oversight, potentially prolonging gaps in enforcement or outdated standards.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Adds military/veteran definitions and expands "source of income" to include vouchers, Social Security, court-ordered support, trusts/guardian/relative payments, and similar lawful income.
Introduced September 17, 2025 by Timothy Michael Kaine · Last progress September 17, 2025
Expands the Fair Housing Act by adding definitions for “military status” and “veteran status” and by broadening the statutory definition of “source of income” to explicitly include housing vouchers (Section 8 and similar federal, state, local, or private assistance), Social Security and Railroad Retirement benefits, court-ordered income (like child or spousal support), payments from trusts/guardians/relatives, and other lawful income sources. The bill inserts these clarified terms into multiple nondiscrimination provisions of the Fair Housing Act, adds a clarification that the Act does not bar entities from providing services to people receiving housing assistance, and provides a time-limited certification extension for certain agencies. The measure is largely definitional and compliance-focused: it changes protected-class language and statutory cross-references, clarifies permitted services to assistance recipients, and temporarily extends agency certification timelines; it does not create new funding or major program authorizations.