Milwaukee cannot prohibit landlords from refusing housing vouchers as a source of income. Wisconsin Act 317 (2017) preempts cities from extending fair-housing protections beyond the categories listed in state law, leaving voucher holders without local protection.
Before 2017, Milwaukee considered ordinances that would make lawful source of income, including federal Housing Choice Vouchers, a protected class under the city's fair-housing law. Wisconsin Act 317 closed that door by limiting local fair-housing ordinances to the protected classes recognized in Wis. Stat. §106.50. As a result, refusing a tenant solely because they pay rent with a Section 8 voucher is not unlawful under city or state law. Milwaukee continues to enforce protections for race, sex, family status, disability, and other state-recognized classes through its Equal Rights Commission.
Discrimination based on a state-recognized protected class can lead to Equal Rights Commission complaints, fines, and HUD referrals, but voucher-only refusals are generally not actionable under Milwaukee or Wisconsin law.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee has no city ordinance restricting lawn ornaments on residential property. Chapter 80 nuisance authority and Chapter 275 property maintenance provis...
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee has no city ordinance regulating residential inflatable holiday displays. Chapter 80-63 noise standards could theoretically apply to overnight blow...
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee has no municipal ordinance regulating residential holiday lights. Timing, brightness, and animation are governed by HOA/condo covenants and Histori...
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee requires building permits for outdoor kitchens with gas lines, electrical wiring, plumbing, or structural roofs. Permits route through DNS LMS Onli...
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee has no specific smoker ordinance. Chapter 80 (Public Nuisance) and Chapter 200-50 (Health Code) provide nuisance authority for excessive smoke. Wis...
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee Fire Code (Chapter 215) adopts the 2015 IFC with local amendments. IFC 308.1.4 prohibits open-flame cooking devices and LP-gas tanks over 1 lb on c...
See how Milwaukee's source-of-income discrimination rules stack up against other locations.
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