State GOP leader trashes Tucson’s new rent discrimination law
In September, Tucson passed a law banning property owners from taking into account source of income when choosing renters, effectively forcing them to accept Section 8 and other housing assistance. GOP Speaker-elect Ben Toma of Peoria says this violates state law and has lodged a complaint with the state’s attorney general asking it to declare the law unconstitutional. Toma wants the state to withhold funding from Tucson or take the issue to the Arizona Supreme Court. He posits that Tucson’s restrictive zoning and land use policies are throttling development and that the blame should be placed there rather than on those who actually build or provide housing.
