An Act To Prohibit Housing Discrimination

LD 847 prohibits housing discrimination in Maine by banning landlords from refusing to rent or negotiating for rental housing based on a tenant's **source of income**, such as housing vouchers, public assistance, Social Security benefits, or rental subsidies. It also prevents landlords from assessing a tenant's full rent amount when part of the rent is subsidized, requiring financial evaluations to apply only to the unsubsidized portion. The law, effective January 1, 2026, applies to most rental properties (excluding landlords with fewer than four units) and allows victims to seek $1,000 penalties or actual damages for violations. This directly affects renters using government assistance and landlords managing rental housing.