On May 6, Lincoln stood up for dignity, opportunity, and the simple idea that no one should be denied safe, affordable housing based on how they pay their rent. By passing the Fair Housing ordinance, our city’s voters were resoundingly clear: Everyone deserves a fair chance at a safe, stable place to live.
This victory belongs to everyone who believes in a stronger, fairer Lincoln – to the renters who shared their stories, the landlords who came on board, the volunteers who knocked doors, and the voters who refused to be intimidated by misinformation.
This is a significant step forward, but the work is not done. Now, we must ensure these protections are implemented fairly and that every Lincolnite’s rights are respected. We are eager to collaborate with the city, community partners, and residents to build a fairer and more inclusive future.
Thank you, Lincoln, for believing that when we take care of one another, we all thrive.
›› Source-of-income discrimination is the refusal to rent because of a prospective tenant’s lawful source of income. It keeps Lincoln renters from the housing they need, resulting in housing instability, unaffordable, unsafe or inaccessible housing, or homelessness.
›› In Lincoln, housing is unaffordable for 44% of renters at all income levels, and 11,280 households are extremely cost-burdened by rent. With so little left after housing costs, many sacrifice necessities like food and healthcare to make ends meet.
›› Assistance programs like Section 8 housing vouchers, social security, disability, and veterans benefits are legitimate forms of income and have been proven to reliably fill this gap. But they can’t help when landlords refuse to rent to Lincolnites using them.
›› Nearly one in three voucher recipients in Lincoln must return their voucher because they are unable to find a landlord who will accept it. Just look around Lincoln’s apartment listings, and you’ll see “No Section 8,” “No LHA,” and “No Vouchers.”
This discrimination hurts our whole community.
Onward.
Our city has now overwhelmingly adopted source-of-income protections to increase Lincolnites’ chances at safe, affordable housing. Prohibiting landlords and property managers from turning away prospective tenants based solely on how they pay rent is the right thing to do.
Source-of-income protections work for everyone. While Lincoln faces an affordable housing crisis, source-of-income discrimination has been banned in 22 states and 128 cities and towns in the United States. In those cities and states, the voucher failure rate has been cut in half.
Lincoln for Fair Housing has researched, has advocated for, and has proposed source-of-income protections since 2019. The community coalition gathered signatures so that Lincoln voters could cast their ballots in favor of the proposed ordinance in the city’s May 6, 2025, municipal election.
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Have you experienced source-of-income discrimination or a landlord who supports source-of-income protections? You’re not alone and your story deserves to be heard.
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