Private business and government can make for odd bedfellows, and even more so when government oversteps its role.
But if they’re not careful, city leaders may create a new problem while trying to make right wrongs of the past.
An equal rights ordinance expected to be adopted by the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly will go far in addressing injustices suffered in the capital city. As of now, a landlord can evict a tenant based on their sexual orientation, and businesses can fire employees because of the religion they practice. Sadly, these forms of discrimination and more are still permitted in Juneau.
That must end. Now.
However, in trying to end discrimination toward the poor, particularly as it involves housing, the ordinance overreaches.
Juneau’s equal rights ordinance would force landlords to accept federally backed housing vouchers for poor families. Forcing private business to get in bed with government has a tendency to go sideways quickly, and can upset the private market in unexpected ways (think federally mandated healthcare).
Section 8 housing vouchers provide between 60-70 percent of a tenant’s monthly rent, which is distributed through local and state housing authorities. If passed as-is, many Juneau landlords would be required to accept these vouchers whether they opted to participate in the program or not.
Discrimination against the poor is not OK, but forcing landlords into an unwanted government program isn’t the right solution.
“I think forcing somebody into a very cumbersome government program is very contradictory to everything I believe in, but once again that is my only problem with this ordinance,” said Assemblywoman Debbie White, during Tuesday’s Assembly work session meeting where public comment was taken.
White makes a valid point, and one in which we fully agree.
The federal government has a key role to play in the business sector. Employees should be guaranteed a minimum wage, earn overtime when it’s worked and be provided a safe work environment. But allowing the CBJ to force government bureaucracy and layers of federal red tape on landlords shouldn’t be permitted.
If Juneau lacked low-income housing or landlords who accepted vouchers we might feel differently, but that’s not our current situation.
The equal rights ordinance must be passed, but with a single amendment so it does no harm to the current housing market. If a landlord chooses not to rent to a gay or Muslim couple, legal action should be an option for those tenants. But if a landlord doesn’t want to take part in an optional federal program, CBJ has no right to make them do so.
