John Block, a representative for New Mexico's House District 51, expressed opposition to House Bill 339, which seeks to prevent housing discrimination based on income source. He described it as a "bad bill" and praised Rep. Mark Duncan for his debate performance. Block shared these remarks in a March 2 post on X.
"If you can't afford to fix up a rental to HUD's Section 8 housing standards (and you as a landlord would be forced to rent to Section 8, per the bill), the sponsor's response is: “Don't rent," said Block, State Representative. "Good job, NM State Rep. Mark Duncan, for the debate on this BAD bill (HB339)."
According to the Albuquerque Journal, Duncan successfully amended the bill to ensure landlords are not obligated to repair or improve properties to meet housing standards associated with optional assistance programs. Despite this amendment, Duncan voted against the bill along with other Republicans.
House Bill 339 aims to make it unlawful to discriminate against housing applicants based on their income source or through an invalid screening process. The legislation would empower the New Mexico Attorney General to enforce penalties for certain discriminatory practices. It also seeks to protect various income sources such as Social Security benefits, alimony, child support, and assistance from nonprofits or state and local governments, including housing vouchers. The bill passed the House with a vote of 42-34, while four representatives were excused from voting. On March 3, it was referred to both the Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee.
In a video lasting 37 seconds that captured a debate between Rep. Duncan and bill sponsor Angelica Rubio, Duncan questioned why he should be responsible for upgrading his apartment to meet HUD (Housing and Urban Development) standards. Rubio responded by suggesting that perhaps he should not rent if unwilling to comply with those standards. This exchange was shared in a March 2 post on X by Rep. John Block.
Block serves as the Representative for New Mexico's House District 51 and is also the Founder and Editor of the Piñon Post. His educational background includes an MBA from Eastern New Mexico University and a BA in Business Administration from Rutgers University, as noted on his LinkedIn profile.
