The Legal Aid has announced a settlement with Compass, one of the nation’s largest real estate firms, which will result in new policies protecting tenants attempting to use federal housing vouchers, as reported by The Washington Post.

A year-long investigation conducted by Housing Rights Initiative revealed widespread bias by property owners who discriminate against people because of their source of income. In nearly 50% of cases, real estate professionals illegally refused to rent to voucher holders. Legal Aid sued to end these practices last spring and as a result has secured significant changes from Compass and twenty-two other New York City landlords and apartment brokers.

Compass has agreed to provide NYC agents a higher commission for renting apartments to voucher holders. They will also add regular training for agents on the functioning of voucher programs and recommit to their existing anti-discrimination policies.

“While there is still much work to be done to eradicate widespread discrimination against tenants with housing vouchers, this agreement with the largest independent brokerage firm in the country is a step in the right direction,” said Robert Desir, a staff attorney in the Civil Law Reform Unit at The Legal Aid Society.

“We are encouraged by Compass’s continued commitment to non discrimination and its desire and determination to implement these changes quickly, and hope that other real estate companies take note and implement similar changes immediately,” he continued.