The Providence Human Relations Commission yesterday joined Mayor Jorge Elorza, Councilwoman Rachel Miller, Councilman Nicholas Narducci, Representative Anastasia Williams, Senator Harold Metts, Executive Director of United Way Cortney Nicolato and DARE Vice-Chair Malchus Mills to announce a municipal source of income discrimination protections initiative, to be introduced via ordinance by Councilwoman Miller on the Council floor today.
As the Commission has previously detailed, source of income discrimination penalizes households still reeling from federal housing policies such as redlining and racial steering, reinforcing racialized patterns of homelessness, poverty and housing segregation. The ordinance the Commission’s Executive Director Sol Taubin has been working on alongside the Mayor’s Policy Office and members of the City Council stands to change these circumstances. The Commission is thrilled that Mayor Elorza and members of the City Council have been receptive to enacting this legislation, and looks forward to working with community partners such as South Coast Fair Housing, Rhode Island Legal Services and Center for Justice on enforcement.