Overview
- San Antonio’s City Council, which voted 11-0 Thursday, barred owners of five or more rentals from rejecting veterans solely because they use federal housing vouchers.
- The rules take effect immediately with stepped enforcement that starts with a written warning, then required training, and a $500 fee on a third violation, with complaints accepted via 311 and the city’s fair housing offices.
- Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones pushed a broader ban that covered all landlords, but her changes failed in a 4-7 vote before the council unanimously approved the compromise.
- City staff estimate the policy covers roughly 227,000 rental units and say more than 2,000 local veterans use Housing Choice or VASH vouchers, while officials note they lack authority to extend protections to non-veteran voucher users.
- Real-estate groups cited inspection delays, paperwork, and slow payments as barriers, and a separate plan by Councilwoman Teri Castillo to pay landlords $500 per lease is set for summer budget talks.