Several years since first being introduced into and rejected by the Madison City Council, the Section 8 ordinance passed last night in a rare compromise from a disjointed City Council.
Section 8 is the proposal to give low-income renters a voucher to pay for 30 to 40 percent of their rent. It provides those living in low-income housing the ability to live anywhere they want, pending the landlord’s agreement to accept the Section 8 voucher as legitimate income.
Under the compromise, any landlord receiving any type of city funding will be required to accept the Section 8 voucher.
There are currently 1556 vouchers in use in the Madison area, with another 1800 people on a waiting list to join the program.
The compromise was drawn up by council members, Madison apartment tenants and representatives of the Apartment Association of South Central Wisconsin.
Originally set to vote on the compromise Sept. 24, the council collectively decided to delay its vote after City Attorney James L. Martin said he would advise the council not to pass the compromise legislation due to possible unclear language in the ordinance, frustrating a number of council members pushing the legislation.
“The city can’t seem to get their act together,” said Ald. Brenda Konkel, District 2. “The council is in agreement, but it couldn’t pass. It is extremely frustrating that the council could have made an agreement but there was not enough staff support. Especially from the city attorney.”
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, echoed Konkel’s sentiments in expressing his disappointment over the council’s inability to pass the legislation through.
“I am disappointed that the council couldn’t take meaningful action tonight to end the discrimination that poor people face when looking for housing,” Verveer said.
Ald. Dorothy Borchardt, District 12, is pleased with the fragmented council’s ability to reach a consensus and approve the compromise legislation.
“I think it’s a leap in the right direction,” Borchardt said. “We all want the same things, and we are real concerned about people who can’t find housing.”
Borchardt also expressed relief that the original terms of Section 8, which would forbid any landlord from turning away rental applicants using Section 8 vouchers, were altered.
“If we are mandating landlords to [accept the vouchers], landlords will find ways not to take them,” Borchardt said.
She is also confident that landlords will accept Section 8 vouchers without being forced. “This way more landlords will get into the program,” Borchardt said. “They’ll get a voucher and might decide Section 8 isn’t so bad.”
