New bill aims to protect thousands of households with housing choice vouchers

Concord, NH - The New Hampshire House of Representatives will soon be voting on a bill that prohibits discrimination against tenants who hold vouchers for rental housing. 

The bill, HB469, is landmark legislation that will protect those with housing vouchers. The Housing Choice Voucher Program was created to provide safe and affordable housing to low-income individuals. This bill would make the outright refusal to accept housing vouchers by landlords illegal. 

Robin Vogt, State Representative for Ward 1 in Portsmouth, is a co-sponsor on the bill and feels strongly about its passage. “HB469 is a comprehensive piece of legislation,” he says, “its purpose is to foster accessible, affordable, and fair housing in New Hampshire through necessary checks on landlord practices and tenant rights protections. The passage of this bill is crucial for both present and future generations here in the Granite State.”

Vogt says that HB469 is a crucial safeguard for those who are particularly vulnerable to discriminatory practices, which is why we urge New Hampshire legislators to vote YES on HB469. 

NHLA’s Fair Housing Project investigates complaints and assists victims of housing discrimination to help them gain the protections and remedies they deserve. In addition to individual representation, the Fair Housing Project engages in systemic advocacy by providing training throughout the state on fair housing topics and by advocating for changes in laws, ordinances, and policies that have a negative impact on protected class members (based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, disability, age, marital status, sexual orientation, or gender identity). 

About New Hampshire Legal Assistance  

NHLA is a nonprofit law firm working to make justice a reality for and with people who experience economic hardship that threatens their basic human needs. Through representation and systemic advocacy, NHLA offers civil legal aid that addresses the effects and root causes of poverty. https://fairhousing-nh.org

The work that provided the basis for this publication was supported by funding under a grant with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The substance and findings of the work are dedicated to the public. The author and publisher are solely responsible for the accuracy of the statements and interpretations contained herein. Such interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Government.