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Lincoln for Fair Housing tops 15,300 petition signatures

Local coalition Lincoln for Fair Housing announced today it has collected more than 15,300 petition signatures in just over a month, far surpassing the required threshold to place new renter protections on the May 6 citywide ballot. The city clerk’s office received the signatures this morning.

The coalition needed to collect at least 8,825 valid signatures from registered Lincoln voters to qualify the ballot measure. Organizers said the enthusiastic response to the petition effort underscores the community’s widespread support for much-needed housing reform. 

With colorful signs proclaiming “Let’s Bring It Home” and “Fair Housing Now!,” coalition members gathered at Turbine Flats in Lincoln to celebrate crossing the key milestone.

The proposed measure seeks to prohibit source-of-income discrimination in Lincoln and ensure that all residents have fair access to housing regardless of how they pay their rent. Currently, landlords in Lincoln can refuse to rent to people who use housing vouchers, benefits, or other lawful income sources.

Nearly half of Lincoln renters face unaffordable housing costs, with 11,280 households in the city being highly cost-burdened or spending more than half their income on rent. Assistance programs like Section 8 housing vouchers are designed to alleviate this burden. Yet, nearly one in three local voucher recipients must return them unused because they cannot find a landlord willing to accept them.

Banning source-of-income discrimination has proven effective in other jurisdictions. In 22 states and 128 cities and towns across the country, such protections have cut voucher failure rates in half, reducing housing instability and promoting fairness in the rental market.

Once signatures are verified, Lincoln For Fair Housing will launch a comprehensive educational campaign that includes events and community conversations to inform Lincoln residents and encourage them to vote to approve the proposed ordinance.

Stakeholder quotes:

Karen Bell-Dancy, executive director, YWCA Lincoln, Lincoln For Fair Housing member
“Let’s envision a better Lincoln. Let’s envision a community where families aren’t choosing between rent and groceries, children don’t have to switch schools thrice in one year, and unfair housing barriers don’t block economic opportunity. We all can move together toward that vision, starting with approving this measure in May.”

Jean McGuire, president, League of Women Voters of Lincoln/Lancaster County, Lincoln For Fair Housing member
“Equality of opportunity is a very important value to the League of Women Voters. Source of income discrimination violates equality of opportunity, which is why our nonpartisan group of 140 women and men are supporting Lincoln for Fair Housing.”

Reid Gahan, Lincoln landlord
“Housing discrimination is inherently inefficient. It reduces choice not only for tenants but also for landlords. By removing the option to discriminate based on source of income, I believe landlords will be presented with more and better options than before. I am excited for a future where Zillow isn’t full of six-month-old rental listings with those inefficient words: No vouchers allowed.

River Sky, Lincoln renter
“I called every landlord I could find in Lincoln. I made around 200 phone calls. Office after office, they told me they wouldn’t take my voucher. Thankfully, I found one landlord who took my voucher and rented me a clean, decent, and safe place to live. I’ve been their loyal tenant ever since. I pay my rent early, keep my place clean and neat, and never cause trouble. I’m a great tenant and a kind, thoughtful neighbor, but you’d never know it from how other landlords talked down to me. This has to end. People in Lincoln deserve a home, whether we’re poor, struggling, or disabled.”

About Lincoln For Fair Housing:
Lincoln for Fair Housing is a coalition of residents dedicated to ensuring fair housing opportunities for all Lincolnites. We work to end practices and conditions that prevent residents from accessing the homes they need. For more information, visit FairHousingLNK.org.

Coalition members:
Nebraska Appleseed, Civic Nebraska, the League of Women Voters of Lincoln-Lancaster County; Proyecto Cultural; the Clinton Neighborhood Organization; the Asian Community and Cultural Center; Voices of Hope; The Hub Central Access Point; the Nebraska Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence: the Arc of Nebraska; the Center for People; Intertribal Spiritual Lodges; Nebraskans for Peace; Stand In Nebraska; Unionize UNL’s steering committee; the Lincoln Indian Center; YWCA-Lincoln; and NAACP Lincoln.