My family and I have personally experienced the struggle of trying to secure rental housing due to unrealistic income requirements. The current standard, which requires applicants to prove an income three times the monthly rent, is discriminatory and unattainable for many. This includes recent graduates, blue-collar workers, newlyweds starting their lives together, those on fixed incomes and Section 8 recipients. For example, if a rental property costs $1500 per month with no utilities included, an applicant would need to prove they earn $4500 per month just to be considered.

This practice disproportionately affects low-income individuals and families who may not meet these stringent requirements but are still capable of paying their rent responsibly each month. According to data from the U.S Census Bureau in 2019, nearly 38 million people in America live in poverty - that's roughly one out of every eight Americans who may be denied housing based on this requirement alone.

We believe that everyone deserves fair access to housing regardless of their income level. Therefore we call upon local and national legislators as well as real estate associations across the country to review these standards and establish more equitable guidelines for rental applications.

Please sign this petition if you believe in fair access to housing for all individuals regardless of income level!