Advocacy organizations are joining with the New American community in Vermont to call on state lawmakers to pass a bill that would stop housing discrimination based on immigration status.
Migrant Justice hosted a number of groups and migrant workers at the statehouse this week as legislators began a hearing on the bill. It would make immigration status a protected class under the state’s Fair Housing Act and eliminate the need for rental applicants to provide a Social Security number.
ACLU of Vermont Policy Advocate Alex Karambelas says the bill removes barriers to housing for immigrant families.
“Everyone, no matter how long they’ve lived in our state or where they come from, deserves a safe place to live. But for too many immigrant families, access to stable and affordable homes remain out of reach. Due to Vermont’s extreme housing stock shortage highly competitive housing markets can increase the risk of discrimination for many vulnerable populations. By adding immigration status to our Fair Housing Act residents facing harassment or discrimination based on actual or perceived immigration status would receive critical safeguards to accessing safe housing,” Karambelas said. “Under this bill landlords would still be able to run criminal background checks and check for consumer reports or credit scores.”
Advocates say the rights of immigrants are under threat as the federal government attempts to eliminate housing discrimination protections, freeze funding to resettlement agencies and implements mass deportation.
Migrant Justice Coordinating Committee member Olga Cruz works on a dairy farm. She says the immigrant workforce is crucial to Vermont. Migrant Justice Organizer Will Lambek served as interpreter.
“Immigrants in Vermont are building homes, are working in restaurants serving food and washing dishes, are making beds and cleaning rooms in hotels. We are an important part of the economy of this state,” Cruz asserted through the interpreter. “So let’s be honest with ourselves. Vermont is reliant on immigrant workers to continue growing as a state.”
Wafic Faour, a landlord with properties in Burlington, Winooski and Richmond, supports the state proposal.
“There is a mistake from our leaders, state level and federal level. They think of the migrants as a problem we have to solve. As a matter of fact, the migrants is a solution for problems existed here. So for that I hope, I hope, that H.169 will pass,” Faour said.
Chittenden Democrat Leonora Dodge is a cosponsor of the Housing Access for Immigrant Families bill.
“When Migrant Justice says that we are in desperate need of a legislative change, this body needs to listen, both chambers and the Governor,” Dodge asserted. “Housing access is one of the most foundational elements of generational discrimination. It’s intrinsic to the founding of this country. This bill is an echo of actions that have been taking place in legislatures around the country.”
Cristian Santos, a member of the immigrant community, said it is past time for the state to take action to protect vulnerable communities and individuals.
“It is urgent and necessary that Vermont take action to erase these impractical and unjust discriminatory barriers to housing access for the immigrant community. It is past time for Vermont to act to stop these practices which place us in vulnerable positions to abuse of our human rights,” Lambek translated for Santos.
The Vermont House Committee on General and Housing is taking testimony on the proposal.
