House Study Bill 171 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE _____
BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON
LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL BY
CHAIRPERSON BLOOMINGDALE)
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to the authority of counties and cities to
2 regulate rental housing, and including effective date
3 provisions.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
TLSB 1714YC (2) 89
js/ns
 H.F. _____
1 Section 1. Section 331.304, Code 2021, is amended by adding
2 the following new subsection:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 13. A county shall not adopt or enforce
4 an ordinance or regulation that prohibits an owner, lessor,
5 sublessor, managing agent, or other person having the right
6 to lease, sublease, or rent out a dwelling unit from refusing
7 to lease or rent out the dwelling unit to a person because of
8 the person’s use of a federal housing choice voucher issued by
9 the United States department of housing and urban development.
10 Such an ordinance or regulation adopted prior to the effective
11 date of this Act is void and unenforceable on and after the
12 effective date of this Act. For purposes of this subsection,
13 “dwelling unit” means the same as defined in section 562A.6.
14 Sec. 2. Section 364.3, Code 2021, is amended by adding the
15 following new subsection:
16 NEW SUBSECTION. 13. A city shall not adopt or enforce
17 an ordinance or regulation that prohibits an owner, lessor,
18 sublessor, managing agent, or other person having the right
19 to lease, sublease, or rent out a dwelling unit from refusing
20 to lease or rent out the dwelling unit to a person because of
21 the person’s use of a federal housing choice voucher issued by
22 the United States department of housing and urban development.
23 Such an ordinance or regulation adopted prior to the effective
24 date of this Act is void and unenforceable on and after the
25 effective date of this Act. For purposes of this subsection,
26 “dwelling unit” means the same as defined in section 562A.6.
27 Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate
28 importance, takes effect upon enactment.
29 EXPLANATION
30 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
31 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
32 This bill relates to the authority of counties and cities
33 to regulate rental housing. The bill prohibits a county or
34 city from adopting or enforcing an ordinance or regulation that
35 prohibits a person who has the right to lease, sublease, or
LSB 1714YC (2) 89
-1- js/ns 1/2
 H.F. _____
1 rent out a dwelling unit from refusing to lease or rent out
2 the dwelling unit to a person because of the person’s use of
3 a federal housing choice voucher issued by the United States
4 department of housing and urban development. Such an ordinance
5 or regulation adopted prior to the effective date of the bill
6 is void and unenforceable on and after the effective date of
7 the bill. For purposes of the bill, “dwelling unit” means a
8 structure or the part of a structure that is used as a home,
9 residence, or sleeping place.
LSB 1714YC (2) 89
-2- js/ns 2/2


Statutes affected:
Introduced: 331.304, 364.3