What's happening
This bill adds "source of income" as a protected class in New York's anti-discrimination laws for housing and public accommodations.
Why it matters
Expands anti-discrimination protections. By explicitly defining "source of income" (including wages, child support, alimony, public assistance, housing subsidies like Section 8, and more), the bill broadens the scope of who is protected under New York’s civil rights laws, making it harder for landlords and property owners to reject applicants based solely on how they pay rent.
Impacts many vulnerable groups. People who rely on non-traditional income streams—such as housing vouchers, Social Security, or child support—often face barriers when seeking housing. This bill provides them with legal recourse if they're denied housing or public accommodations because of their income source, promoting more equitable access.
Limits and exceptions clarify reach. The bill creates an exemption for small landlords (in municipalities with existing local exemptions for buildings with five or fewer units), but this exemption disappears if the local law is repealed. It also closes loopholes for larger landlords and those subject to rent control, ensuring protections still apply in those scenarios.
Aims to reduce housing discrimination and segregation. By prohibiting landlords, real estate agents, and others from making decisions or advertising based on source of income, the bill targets practices that have historically contributed to housing segregation and the concentration of poverty in certain neighborhoods.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Income-Based Rental Bias
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to investigations and government operations
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Ban Income-Based Rental Bias
In Senate Committee · Investigations And Government Operations · Sponsor Liz Krueger
Full text
5 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
149
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 4, 2017
Introduced by Sens. SQUADRON, ADDABBO, DILAN, HAMILTON, HOYLMAN, KENNE- DY, PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Government Operations
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to discrimination based upon the income of persons
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 292 of the executive law is amended by adding a new subdivision 35 to read as follows:
35. The term "source of income" shall include: wages from lawful employment; child support; alimony; foster care subsidies; income derived from social security, or any form of federal, state or local public assistance; housing and rental subsidies and assistance, including section 8 vouchers; savings, investment and trust accounts; and any other forms of lawful income.
§ 2. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 2 of section 296 of the executive law, as amended by chapter 106 of the laws of 2003, is amended to read as follows:
(a) It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for any person, being the owner, lessee, proprietor, manager, superintendent, agent or employee of any place of public accommodation, resort or amusement, because of the race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, source of income, or disability or marital status of any person, directly or indirectly, to refuse, withhold from or deny to such person any of the accommodations, advantages, facilities or privileges thereof, including the extension of credit, or, directly or indirectly, to publish, circulate, issue, display, post or mail any written or printed communication, notice or advertisement, to the effect that any of the accommodations, advantages, facilities and privileges of any such place shall be refused, withheld from or denied to any person
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02373-01-7
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on account of race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, source of income, or disability or marital status, or that the patronage or custom thereat of any person of or purporting to be of any particular race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, source of income, sex or marital status, or having a disability is unwelcome, objectionable or not acceptable, desired or solicited.
§ 3. Paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of subdivision 2-a of section 296 of the executive law, as amended by chapter 106 of the laws of 2003, are amended to read as follows:
(a) To refuse to sell, rent or lease or otherwise to deny to or withhold from any person or group of persons such housing accommodations because of the race, creed, color, disability, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, age, sex, marital status, [or] familial status, or source of income of such person or persons, or to represent that any housing accommodation or land is not available for inspection, sale, rental or lease when in fact it is so available.
(b) To discriminate against any person because of his or her race, creed, color, disability, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, age, sex, marital status, [or] familial status, or source of income in the terms, conditions or privileges of any publicly-assisted housing accommodations or in the furnishing of facilities or services in connection therewith.
(c) To cause to be made any written or oral inquiry or record concerning the race, creed, color, disability, national origin, sexual orientation, membership in the reserve armed forces of the United States or in the organized militia of the state, age, sex, marital status, [or] familial status, or source of income of a person seeking to rent or lease any publicly-assisted housing accommodation; provided, however, that nothing in this subdivision shall prohibit a member of the reserve armed forces of the United States or in the organized militia of the state from voluntarily disclosing such membership.
§ 4. Subdivision 5 of section 296 of the executive law, as amended by chapter 106 of the laws of 2003, is amended to read as follows:
5. (a) It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for the owner, lessee, sub-lessee, assignee, or managing agent of, or other person having the right to sell, rent or lease a housing accommodation, constructed or to be constructed, or any agent or employee thereof:
(1) To refuse to sell, rent, lease or otherwise to deny to or withhold from any person or group of persons such a housing accommodation because of the race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, age, disability, marital status, [or] familial status, or source of income of such person or persons, or to represent that any housing accommodation or land is not available for inspection, sale, rental or lease when in fact it is so available.
(2) To discriminate against any person because of race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, age, disability, marital status, [or] familial status, or source of income in the terms, conditions or privileges of the sale, rental or lease of any such housing accommodation or in the furnishing of facilities or services in connection therewith.
(3) To print or circulate or cause to be printed or circulated any statement, advertisement or publication, or to use any form of application for the purchase, rental or lease of such housing accommodation or to make any record or inquiry in connection with the prospective purchase, rental or lease of such a housing accommodation which
S. 149 3
expresses, directly or indirectly, any limitation, specification or discrimination as to race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, age, disability, marital status, [or] familial status, or source of income, or any intent to make any such limitation, specification or discrimination.
The provisions of this paragraph [(a)] shall not apply[(1)] : (i) to the rental of a housing accommodation in a building which contains housing accommodations for not more than two families living independently of each other, if the owner resides in one of such housing accommodations, [(2)] (ii) to the restriction of the rental of all rooms in a housing accommodation to individuals of the same sex or [(3)] (iii) to the rental of a room or rooms in a housing accommodation, if such rental is by the occupant of the housing accommodation or by the owner of the housing accommodation and the owner resides in such housing accommodation or [(4)] (iv) solely with respect to age and familial status to the restriction of the sale, rental or lease of housing accommodations exclusively to persons sixty-two years of age or older and the spouse of any such person, or for housing intended and operated for occupancy by at least one person fifty-five years of age or older per unit. In determining whether housing is intended and operated for occupancy by persons fifty-five years of age or older, Sec. 807(b) (2) (c) (42 U.S.C. 3607 (b) (2) (c)) of the federal Fair Housing Act of 1988, as amended, shall apply.
(b) It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for the owner, lessee, sub-lessee, or managing agent of, or other person having the right of ownership or possession of or the right to sell, rent or lease, land or commercial space:
(1) To refuse to sell, rent, lease or otherwise deny to or withhold from any person or group of persons land or commercial space because of the race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, age, disability, marital status, [or] familial status, or source of income of such person or persons, or to represent that any housing accommodation or land is not available for inspection, sale, rental or lease when in fact it is so available;
(2) To discriminate against any person because of race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, age, disability, marital status, [or] familial status, or source of income in the terms, conditions or privileges of the sale, rental or lease of any such land or commercial space; or in the furnishing of facilities or services in connection therewith;
(3) To print or circulate or cause to be printed or circulated any statement, advertisement or publication, or to use any form of application for the purchase, rental or lease of such land or commercial space or to make any record or inquiry in connection with the prospective purchase, rental or lease of such land or commercial space which expresses, directly or indirectly, any limitation, specification or discrimination as to race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, age, disability, marital status, [or] familial status, or source of income; or any intent to make any such limitation, specification or discrimination.
(4) With respect to age and familial status, the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to the restriction of the sale, rental or lease of land or commercial space exclusively to persons fifty-five years of age or older and the spouse of any such person, or to the restriction of the sale, rental or lease of land to be used for the construction, or location of housing accommodations exclusively for
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persons sixty-two years of age or older, or intended and operated for occupancy by at least one person fifty-five years of age or older per unit. In determining whether housing is intended and operated for occupancy by persons fifty-five years of age or older, Sec. 807(b) (2) (c) (42 U.S.C. 3607(b) (2) (c)) of the federal Fair Housing Act of 1988, as amended, shall apply.
(c) It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for any real estate broker, real estate salesperson or employee or agent thereof:
(1) To refuse to sell, rent or lease any housing accommodation, land or commercial space to any person or group of persons or to refuse to negotiate for the sale, rental or lease, of any housing accommodation, land or commercial space to any person or group of persons because of the race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, age, disability, marital status, [or] familial status, or source of income of such person or persons, or to represent that any housing accommodation, land or commercial space is not available for inspection, sale, rental or lease when in fact it is so available, or otherwise to deny or withhold any housing accommodation, land or commercial space or any facilities of any housing accommodation, land or commercial space from any person or group of persons because of the race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, age, disability, marital status, [or] familial status, or source of income of such person or persons.
(2) To print or circulate or cause to be printed or circulated any statement, advertisement or publication, or to use any form of application for the purchase, rental or lease of any housing accommodation, land or commercial space or to make any record or inquiry in connection with the prospective purchase, rental or lease of any housing accommodation, land or commercial space which expresses, directly or indirectly, any limitation, specification, or discrimination as to race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, age, disability, marital status, [or] familial status, or source of income; or any intent to make any such limitation, specification or discrimination.
(3) With respect to age and familial status, the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to the restriction of the sale, rental or lease of any land or commercial space exclusively to persons fifty-five years of age or older and the spouse of any such person, or to the restriction of the sale, rental or lease of any housing accommodation or land to be used for the construction or location of housing accommodations for persons sixty-two years of age or older, or intended and operated for occupancy by at least one person fifty-five years of age or older per unit. In determining whether housing is intended and operated for occupancy by persons fifty-five years of age or older, Sec. 807 (b) (2) (c) (42 U.S.C. 3607 (b) (2) (c)) of the federal Fair Housing Act of 1988, as amended, shall apply.
(d) It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for any real estate board, because of the race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, age, sex, disability, marital status, [or] familial status, or source of income of any individual who is otherwise qualified for membership, to exclude or expel such individual from membership, or to discriminate against such individual in the terms, conditions and privileges of membership in such board.
(e) It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for the owner, proprietor or managing agent of, or other person having the right to provide care and services in, a private proprietary nursing home, conva-
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Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to discrimination based upon the income of persons
Purpose
To prevent housing discrimination based upon the source of income of individuals; makes discrimination by landlords based on a tenant's source of income illegal under New York State Human Rights Law.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 adds a new subdivision 35 to section 292 of the executive law defining the term "lawful source of income" to include, but not be limited to, wages, income derived from social security, federal or state public assistance, and housing and rental subsidies such as section 8 vouchers.
Read the full memo (662 words)
Section 2 amends section 296 subdivision (2) paragraph (a) of the executive law to add the language "or source of income" as a category protected from discrimination.
Section 3 amends section 296 subdivision (2-a) paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of the executive law to add the language "or source of income" to all sections for inclusion against discrimination, refusal to rent and to conduct oral or written inquiry as to status.
Section 4 amends section 296 subdivision (5) of the executive law to add the language "or source of income" as a protected status form discrimination in relation to housing to the New York State Human Rights Law Subsection (a) extends protections against the practices of an owner, lessee, sub-lease, or managing agent, or any other person having the, right to sell, rent or lease a housing accommodation. Subsection (b) extends protections against the practices of an owner, lessee, sublease, or managing agent, or any other person having the right to sell, rent or lease land or commercial space. Subsection (c) extends protections against the practices of a real estate broker, real estate sales person, or agent. Subsection (d) extends protections against the practices of a real estate board.
Section 5 amends section 296 of the executive law to add a new subdivision (22) that exempts housing accommodations that contain a total of five or fewer housing units located within a municipality that had a local law pertaining to such discriminatory practices, which exempted housing accommodations that contained five Or fewer housing units from such prohibition, in existence prior to the effective date of this bill.
If the local law is subsequently repealed, the provisions of this bill would then apply to such housing accommodations. Notwithstanding this exemption, the prohibition on unlawful discriminatory practices based on source of income in this bill shall apply to tenants subject to rent control laws who reside in housing accommodations that contain a total of five or fewer units as of the effective date of this bill, and to all housing accommodations, regardless of the number of units contained in each, of any owner or any agent who has the right to sell, rent, or lease at least one housing accommodation within the state of New York that contains six or more housing units.
Section 6 contains the effective date.
Justification
Currently, New York State law does not prevent landlords from discrimination based on a person's source of income. As a result, landlords often reject tenants with rental subsidies, such as section 8 and subsidies tied to the Nursing Facility Transition and Diversion and Traumatic Brain Injury Medicaid Waivers. Many people with disabilities rely on those subsidies and other assistance programs to live independently in the community. This legislation would make discrimination by landlords based on a tenant's source of income illegal under New York State Human Rights Law. Similar laws have already been passed in New York City, Westchester and Nassau.
Prior legislative history
2016: S151A/A6764 - REFERRED TO INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS/ referred to governmental operations 2015: S151A/A6764 - REFERRED TO INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS/ referred to governmental operations 2013-2014: S187/A5437 - REFERRED TO INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS 2011-2012: S83/A10163-A1121 - COMMITTEE DISCHARGED AND COMMITTED TO RULES/Passed Assembly 2009-2010: S7613/A10689- Passed Both Houses
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.