New York Democrats Advocate for State Housing Protections Amid Federal Uncertainty
In a proactive effort to safeguard against potential rollbacks by the federal government, a group of New York state lawmakers are advocating to incorporate federal housing protections into state law. The aim is to solidify the federal “disparate impact” standard within New York’s housing legislation, ensuring that individuals filing housing discrimination claims under the Fair Housing Act are not required to prove intentional discrimination.
The push for this legislation comes in response to President Donald Trump’s attempts to revise and weaken the disparate impact standard during his first term in office. Although his efforts were thwarted by a court ruling, concerns remain about the potential for future challenges under a conservative-leaning Supreme Court. The rule was ultimately reinstated by President Joe Biden in 2023, prompting state Sen. Brian Kavanagh and Assemblymembers Jordan Wright and Micah Lasher, all Manhattan Democrats, to take action.
Championing Equality in Housing
Micah Lasher, the bill’s sponsor and a first-term lawmaker from the Upper West Side, emphasized the importance of enshrining the disparate impact standard in state law to uphold the fight against housing discrimination in New York. This standard evaluates housing discrimination claims based on the impact of actions, rather than intent, allowing for broader protections for marginalized communities.
The fear of potential future challenges to the disparate impact standard underlines the urgency of codifying these protections at the state level. With the possibility of a conservative-leaning Supreme Court, advocates are pushing for state-level safeguards to ensure continued progress in combating housing discrimination.
Building Broad Support for Civil Rights
In a show of unity and commitment to civil rights, Lasher, Kavanagh, and Wright presented the bill at the National Action Network’s weekly rally in Harlem, where Reverend Al Sharpton voiced his support. Describing the legislation as a civil rights bill, Sharpton emphasized the need for collective action from both the Assembly and the state Senate to advance these crucial protections.
As the legislative session in Albany unfolds, the fate of the bill will be determined in the coming months. The lawmakers involved are hopeful that their efforts to embed federal housing protections into state law will receive broad support and recognition for the essential civil rights implications at stake.
