New York Executive Law Section 296(5), the State Human Rights Law, prohibits Westchester landlords from refusing to rent to applicants based on lawful source of income, including Section 8 vouchers, Social Security, SSI, alimony, and HASA assistance.
Since 2019, NY Executive Law Section 296(5)(a) makes it unlawful for Westchester landlords with one or more rental units to refuse to rent, set different terms, or advertise preferences based on lawful source of income. Westchester County's own Human Rights Law and the county Human Rights Commission provide a parallel local enforcement track. Protected sources include federal Housing Choice Vouchers, NY State FHEPS, Section 8, SSI, Social Security, child support, and HASA. The NY Division of Human Rights and the Westchester HRC investigate complaints; remedies include compensatory damages and civil penalties.
Source-of-income discrimination exposes landlords to civil penalties up to $50,000, $100,000 for willful violations, plus compensatory and punitive damages.
See how Mount Vernon's source-of-income discrimination rules stack up against other locations.
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