New Housing Bill Bans Facial Recognition and Fingerprint Scanners in Federally Assisted Rental Homes

The No Biometric Barriers to Housing Act of 2025 is pretty straightforward: it bans the use of high-tech surveillance systems like facial recognition, fingerprint scanning, and voice analysis in rental properties that receive federal housing assistance. This means if you live in public housing, use a Section 8 voucher, or are in housing funded by programs like HOME or the Housing Trust Fund, your landlord can’t use these tools for surveillance or access control if those tools create bias or make it harder for you to access your home fairly.

This prohibition kicks in one year after the bill becomes law, giving property owners time to adjust. The bill is very specific about the technology it targets, defining everything from Facial Recognition Technology (systems that identify you or log your features to guess your activity) to Remote Biometric Recognition Technology (think systems that identify you based on your voice or the way you walk—your gait—from a distance). The goal here is to stop the creep of surveillance into affordable housing, specifically targeting systems that could lead to unfair access or discrimination against tenants.

Why Your Fingerprint Isn't a Key Anymore

For residents in federally assisted housing, this is a big win for privacy. Imagine coming home from a long shift and having to scan your face or thumbprint just to get into your apartment building. If that system is glitchy, biased, or just plain creepy, it feels like an unnecessary hurdle. This bill essentially says that if the government is subsidizing your rent, your landlord can’t use technology that might unfairly track you or block you from your home. The ban applies to the “owner,” which covers private companies, public housing agencies, and anyone else legally renting out these units. It’s a clear line drawn: federal housing aid comes with an expectation of privacy and fair treatment.

The HUD Homework Assignment

Beyond the ban, the bill gives the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) a year to do some serious homework. HUD must produce a public report detailing how these biometric technologies have been used in federally assisted housing over the last five years. They have to look at the negative effects tenants experienced, why the tech was installed, and the demographics of the residents affected. This section is key because it forces a public accounting of the real-world impact of these systems, especially concerning privacy, civil rights, and fair housing for vulnerable communities. It’s about getting the facts before the ban fully takes hold, ensuring we understand the scope of the problem.

The Fine Print on Fair Access

While the bill is strong on privacy, there’s one part that might require some clarification down the road. The prohibition hinges on the technology being used for surveillance or in a way that “makes it harder for a tenant to get fair access to their affordable housing without facing bias or discrimination.” What counts as “harder” or “bias” could be open to interpretation. For instance, a property manager might argue a fingerprint scanner is for security, not surveillance, even if it logs every time a tenant enters or leaves. Tenants and advocates will likely need to keep an eye on how HUD and housing providers interpret this standard to ensure the spirit of the law—protecting privacy—is upheld. Overall, though, this bill is a major step toward ensuring that access to affordable housing doesn’t come with a side of mandatory digital surveillance.