Proposed Non-Discrimination Housing Policy for Gay Community

I read some encouraging news in the Washington Post today: The Department of Housing and Urban Development has proposed a set of rules that would prohibit discriminatory lending in regards to gender identity and sexual orientation.

The rule change would state that eligible families have the opportunity to participate in HUD-based programs regardless of marital status or sexual orientation.

The new rules, if adopted, also would prohibit owners and operators of HUD-funded housing from asking applicants or household occupants about sexual orientation or gender identity.

The formal proposal cited a 2007 study of housing discrimination in Michigan, which revealed that LGBT people face unfair treatment more than a quarter of the time.

Rea Carey, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, called the proposed changes critically important to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals who often face discrimination.

“Everyone should be able to obtain affordable housing free from discrimination, have a safe place to live and a roof over their head,” Carey said.

I couldn’t agree more.