WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. – Westchester County violated the terms of the Housing Settlement when County Executive Rob Astorino vetoed a bill banning discrimination against renters for using public assistance, such as Section 8 vouchers, to pay rent, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit decided Friday.

The decision upholds a judgment from the U.S. District Court.

Astorino vetoed a source-of-income bill passed by the County Board of Legislators in June 2010. A previous bill had been reintroduced from the 2009 legislative session. The 2010 bill removed court-ordered payments, inheritance, annuities, pensions and child and spousal support from the definition of income source. The bill also set a $50,000 penalty for discrimination and exempted co-op apartments and condominiums.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development contested that the county violated the terms of the settlement by not promoting the source-of-income legislation or including plans to overcome exclusionary zoning practices.