Lawsuit alleges discrimination by D.C. landlord

A civil rights organization is suing a D.C. landlord after he allegedly placed an ad for apartments in Southeast Washington that told prospective tenants not to apply if they intended to use housing vouchers.

“It’s very difficult [to even obtain a housing voucher], and that’s what makes this source of income discrimination so damaging,” said Don Kahl, executive director of the Equal Rights Center, which filed the lawsuit last week in D.C. Superior Court. “The program has a time limit for how long you can find a place and use the voucher — and if they don’t use it in the time frame given, they lose it.”