Proposed Bill Aims to Block Facial Recognition and Biometric Scans in Federally Assisted Housing Within a Year

A new piece of legislation, the "No Biometric Barriers to Housing Act of 2025," is on the table, and its main goal is pretty straightforward: to stop landlords of federally assisted rental properties from using certain high-tech surveillance tools on their tenants. We're talking about things like facial recognition, fingerprint scanners, or tech that analyzes how you walk or talk. The bill says these technologies can't be used for watching tenants or in any way that could unfairly affect their access to affordable housing. If this bill passes, these rules would kick in one year after it becomes law.

Smile, You're Not on Landlord Cam: The Biometric Ban

So, what's actually getting banned? Section 2 of the bill lays it out. It prohibits owners of these properties from deploying "facial recognition technology," "physical biometric recognition technology" (think fingerprints or palmprints), or "remote biometric recognition technology" (like gait or voice analysis from a distance). The key here is that the ban applies if the tech is used for surveillance or if its use could negatively impact a tenant's ability to access housing without bias or discrimination. This isn't about your landlord using a standard security camera in a hallway for safety; it's about specific biometric tech that identifies you personally and could be misused.

This ban would apply to a wide range of housing that gets federal help. The bill defines "covered federally assisted rental dwelling unit" to include public housing (under the United States Housing Act of 1937), places where tenants use Section 8 vouchers, housing developed through the HOME Investment Partnerships program, and supportive housing for the elderly or persons with disabilities, among others. Essentially, if federal dollars are helping to provide that affordable roof over someone's head, these new rules on biometric tech would apply. For tenants, this could mean not having to worry about their face being scanned just to get into their apartment building, especially if there are concerns that such systems could be discriminatory or overly invasive.

Digging into the Data: Understanding Past Use and Protecting Rights

Beyond just banning future use, the bill also wants to understand what's been happening already. Section 3 mandates that the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) cook up a report for Congress within a year of the bill's enactment. This report has to dig into how these biometric technologies have been used in federally assisted housing over the last five years.

Specifically, HUD needs to look at any negative effects on tenants, the overall impact on residents, why landlords installed these systems in the first place, and demographic data of areas where this tech is in use. A big focus is on the potential effects on vulnerable communities, especially those protected by the Fair Housing Act of 1968, looking at privacy, civil rights, and fair housing implications. This study aims to shed light on whether these technologies have been creating new barriers or reinforcing old biases in places meant to be affordable and accessible.

The Nitty-Gritty: What This Means for People and Property Owners

If this bill becomes law, the most direct impact will be on tenants in these federally assisted properties. They'd get a new layer of protection against potentially intrusive or biased surveillance. For example, a family relying on a Section 8 voucher wouldn't have to worry that the new building management company wants to install a fingerprint scanner for entry that might not work reliably for everyone or could be used to unfairly track residents. The goal is to ensure technology doesn't become another hurdle to stable, fair housing.

For property owners operating these federally assisted units, it means they'll need to steer clear of these specific biometric systems for surveillance or access control if it could lead to negative or discriminatory outcomes. They'll have a year from the law's enactment to ensure they're in compliance. This might mean rethinking security upgrades or tenant management systems. The bill’s focus is on preventing technology from undermining the principles of fair housing and tenant rights, particularly for those who rely on federal programs for a place to live.