In April, Congress reintroduced the Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2023 to ensure that the variety of income sources people use throughout the country to pay their rent don’t pose an obstacle to signing a lease. For 2.3 million households around the country living with low incomes, rental subsidies in the form of housing vouchers offer the promise of affordable housing. Yet, in many places, legal forms of discrimination create a barrier to realizing that promise.

April is Fair Housing month, and this year marks 55 years since the Fair Housing Act was signed. We take a look at recent updates to the rule.

The lasting impacts of segregation and redlining continue to play a significant role in limiting access to decent, safe, and affordable residential housing and homeownership in Black communities.