Despite hopes that the Madison City Council would resolve the controversial issue of Section 8 vouchers during its special meeting Tuesday night, no consensus developed as to how to handle an issue which has plagued the city for several years.
On front stage was a compromise between landlords, tenants and city officials, which was brokered by long-time tenants rights activist Ald. Brenda Konkel, District 2, concerning the federal vouchers used by the underprivileged to pay rent. A large part of the proposal was referred to another special meeting Oct. 8.
\I'm not satisfied with the language that's used,"" Madison City Attorney Jim Miller said. ""I want to make sure this language is tight and in good form and it's not right now.""
Many landlords argued in the past that the vouchers create large concentrations of low-income people, while proponents of the program argued that the vouchers should not be the main reason for denying an applicant.
Under the compromise landlords are barred from denying clients solely based upon possession of the vouchers, though they are allowed to conduct normal screening of applicants. The proposal would also mandate Madison's Community Development Authority, which manages the vouchers, to pay landlords within 10 working days.
A major point of contention among many of the public speakers present at the meeting was the lack of information. The compromise was finished three weeks ago.
""The first time I saw that compromised proposal was last Wednesday,"" Madison resident Bill Munz said.
Megin Hicks, director of the Tenant Resource Center, spoke on her own behalf.
""I do support the original ordinance that was proposed,"" she said. ""I still think it's the right thing to do. We've been fighting for this issue for six years.""
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said he was not surprised by the result of the meeting.
""We delayed by a couple of weeks any action on securing affordable housing for poor folks in our community,"" he said.
