A new study found that landlord discrimination against tenants who use housing vouchers is contributing to the country’s already severe affordable housing crisis.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development sponsored study found a high percentage of landlords rejected tenants who wanted to use vouchers to pay, or help pay, their rent. In fact, the denial rates for voucher users was so high that the study could not accurately assess any impacts race or ethnicity had in the landlords’ decision making process.

However, in areas where there are local legal protections for voucher users, the denial rates are lower. But there is no national law that prohibits landlords from refusing to accept vouchers.

“The researchers also suggest that landlord be ‘encouraged’ to participate in the program, and even ‘recruited’ through the use of stronger financial incentives or removal of perceived disincentives,” according to MarketWatch.

For more information, go here: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/landlord-discrimination-is-making-the-affordable-housing-crunch-worse-2018-08-22