Vouchers other than Section 8

[Joe M.]

The first two people to call on the house I have up for rent both had vouchers of some sort. Not section 8 vouchers though, they were from local charity organizations.

I've clearly advertised that this is not a Section 8 house and I'm hesitant to accept any other type of voucher.

My question is in regards to Fair Housing. Can I simply tell them that I don't accept vouchers and remain in compliance with fair housing law? One of the two has a credit score of 500, can I deny based on credit score even if they are paying w/a voucher?

[Brian Levredge]

Fair housing laws mean you have to apply standards equally to everyone. You many not discriminate based on race, origin, religious beliefs, gender, handicap, etc. You also can not discriminate based on the source of income. Section 8, and other vouchers are not considered "income" for rental purposes. That means you can deny on that basis on a federal level. However, as always, it is best to check with a local attorney where you have these to make sure you aren't running afoul of the law. I believe that some places (Boston comes to mind) will not let you discriminate based on Section 8. Local laws can and often do go above and beyond federal minimums.