Texas has no statewide source of income protection, and Dallas County has not adopted a county-level rule covering its 25 cities. Only the City of Dallas, through 2020 Chapter 46 amendments, bars source of income discrimination; voucher holders elsewhere in the county lack local protection.
Source of income discrimination — refusing applicants who pay rent with Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, Veterans' assistance, Social Security, SSI, child support, or similar lawful sources — is not a protected class under Texas state law. Dallas County has not adopted a countywide source of income ordinance. The City of Dallas amended its Anti-Discrimination Ordinance Chapter 46 in 2020 to add source of income protection, but other Dallas County cities such as Irving, Garland, Mesquite, Richardson, Carrollton, and Grand Prairie generally have not. Voucher holders renting outside the City of Dallas may legally be turned away in many parts of Dallas County. Federal HUD fair housing rules apply but do not include source of income.
In unincorporated Dallas County and most suburbs, refusing voucher applicants is generally lawful absent a city ordinance. Within City of Dallas limits, refusing Section 8 vouchers violates Dallas Code Chapter 46 and triggers civil penalties through the Fair Housing Office.
See how DeSoto's source-of-income discrimination rules stack up against other locations.
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