Fifty years ago, Ohio became one of the first states to enact a fair-housing law that bans discrimination in the sale or rental of property. The law offers families with children, disabled people, racial and ethnic minorities, and active-duty military personnel and veterans necessary protection from housing bias.
State Sen. Bill Seitz (R., Cincinnati) is renewing his effort to gut that law. He has introduced a bill, similar to one that failed last year, that would make it easier for landlords to discriminate against tenants, and reduce penalties against landlords who violate fair-housing laws. His measure should not become law.
The Ohio Fair Housing Act has properly been used to punish people who unjustly deny housing to individuals or families, often low-income renters. The state Civil Rights Commission can force landlords who have discriminated to pay punitive damages of as much as $10,000 for a first offense, and $50,000 for additional violations within seven years.
Under Mr. Seitz’s bill, first-time offenders would pay a maximum penalty of just $2,000. Subsequent penalties would be capped at $5,000 for landlords with another violation over five years, and at $10,000 for two or more violations over seven years. Violators would pay only civil penalties, not punitive damages.
Fair-housing advocates say the bill would make it easier for landlords to discriminate without major consequence. Tenants who brought complaints or bias proceedings, but lacked sufficient evidence to prove their case, could be forced to pay the landlord’s legal fees — a clear attempt to discourage such efforts.
The bill that Senator Seitz unsuccessfully promoted last year was quickly dismissed as a tool to protect landlords who discriminated in ways that violated both state and federal law. The current bill is a renewed effort to erode civil rights and equal opportunity in housing.
The new measure would weaken housing discrimination laws and strip tenants of their rights to make fair claims. It deserves a prompt demise.
First Published April 27, 2015, 4:00 a.m.
