LIHUE » Seven people held a sign-waving protest yesterday outside Kauai's Historic County Building to argue against what they say is housing discrimination on the island.

Anne Punohu of Kalaheo, leader of a new group called the Kauai Coalition, said it wants politicians and landlords to stop denying people rental homes just because they qualify for federal housing assistance through the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Up to 80 percent of state residents who qualify for housing assistance do not use their vouchers because they cannot find rentals, Punohu added.

Many rental advertisements on Kauai ask people not to apply if they plan to use HUD vouchers. Punohu said she called every person who advertised “;no HUD”; in their rental advertisements, using different accents to see whether different people got different reactions.

Despite landlords allegedly saying their denial of HUD vouchers was because of annoying paperwork or problems in the past, Punohu contends that racism and discrimination were behind the denials, either against Kauai residents, people with children, seniors or the disabled.

Punohu contacted state Sen. Gary Hooser (D, Kauai), Senate majority leader, for help in writing a bill that would forbid landlords from discriminating against prospective tenants with HUD vouchers.

Hooser did not return a call seeking comment yesterday.

Kalaheo resident Marghee Maupin, one of the sign wavers, said she got vouchers from HUD herself years ago as she tried to support her family.

“;I needed help,”; Maupin added. “;I was a young mother going to college.”;