Madison landlords and tenant advocates reached the end of a long road Tuesday night as the Madison City Council unanimously voted in favor of a Section 8 compromise.
Section 8 is a federal program that provides poor, disabled and elderly people with vouchers to help them pay rent. Tenant's rights advocates and landlords have butted heads in the past over the acceptance of the vouchers.
Council members and public speakers voiced appreciation and relief at the arrival of an affordable housing deal, years in the making, which bans landlords from refusing Section 8 applicants or evicting tenants solely because they receive federally subsidized housing aid.
\I think this is the beginning of a good dialogue that puts everyone at the table to make positive happenings in the Section 8 program,"" Madison landlord Bill Munz said.
Spearheaded by Ald. Brenda Konkel, District 2, the original proposal would have forced all landlords to accept Section 8 tenants, regardless of a one-time eviction or failure to pay rent.
Many landlords, however, disagreed and argued Section 8 recipients often make bad renters. Instead of forcing landlords to unconditionally take Section 8 vouchers, the new compromise allows them to judge potential renters with their normal screening process.
Although the deal was met with smiles and applause, several council members and tenant advocates said they reluctantly accepted the compromise.
""In my heart I don't think it's enough in terms of what we need to do to be helping people,"" Ald. Todd Jarrell, District 8, said. ""It may help one or two and that's why I'm voting for it.""
Konkel said she understood the disappointment of many tenant advocates.
""We said it wasn't going to get watered down, but it did get watered down,"" she said.
According to the compromise, the new Section 8 provisions will be reviewed and revisited over the next several years.
