Phoenix will no longer permit source of income to be used to keep people from obtaining housing in the city.

The city announced Thursday, March 30, that an amended chapter of the Phoenix City Code will take effect on Thursday, April 6, based on a decision earlier this month by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes.

The amendment adds “source of income” as a protected class to the city’s existing housing discrimination ordinance.

The amendment is designed to address housing discrimination against people who receive various kinds of sources of income, according to a Phoenix release.

Those sources include child support, spousal support, foster care subsidies, rental assistance, income derived from Social Security or disability insurance and others forms of income.

The city kept on hold enforcement of the change, pending Mayes’ decision on her predecessor’s opinion in a Tucson case. Former Attorney General Mark Brnovich decided Tucson’s ordinance concerning a source-of-income ban violated state law.

Mayes reversed that opinion on March 8, opening the door for Phoenix to implement its amendment, city officials said.

"Discrimination has no place in Phoenix, especially as we continue taking on the challenge of creating affordable housing options for our residents. The source of income ordinance we approved will help us move closer to our goal of housing more residents with an eye towards equity,” Mayor Kate Gallego said.

"Come April 6, residents in Phoenix using governmental assistance will have a new and needed tool to advocate for their right to affordable and fair housing," Vice Mayor Yassamin Ansari said.

"The enforcement of our source of income discrimination ban will help residents find and keep their homes – ensuring that fewer residents end up in the grip of homelessness."