[nagdu] Housing discrimination continues in Washington State

[Ginger Kutsch]

KPLU Local News
Housing Discrimination Continues in Washington
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/kplu/news.newsmain/article/1/0/
1607868/KPLU.Local.News/Housing.Discrimination.Continues.in.Washi
ngton 
Paula Wissel (2010-02-08) 
 
SEATTLE, WA (KPLU) - 
If you're a landlord, it's illegal to refuse to rent to someone
because of their race, religion or disability. That has been the
law for more than forty years. But, apparently the message has
not gotten through to everyone. 
 
The Fair Housing Center of Washington, based in Tacoma, uses a
very simple investigative method. It will send a white woman and
an African American woman out and have them contact the same
landlords. Housing Center spokeswoman Lauren Walker says the
results are almost always disheartening.
 
"It shocks me every time when I see the differences in treatment.
The African American testers are told about higher prices for
apartments. They're told about fewer units and sometimes they're
told about later availability dates than the Caucasian testers,"
she said.
 
And, Walker says it isn't just race based discrimination that
continues to be a problem. 
 
In the past year, the Fair Housing Center has tested for
discrimination against people who have disabilities. The biggest
issue has been landlords unwilling to rent to someone with a
guide dog. Walker says people need to understand that a "no pets"
policy can not be applied to service animals.
 
The Fair Housing Center was just awarded one of two federal
grants in the state to help enforce the Fair Housing Act. The
grant is for $275,000.
 
The Fair Housing Act was signed into law by President Lyndon
Johnson back in 1968. For the past five years, Washington state
has averaged 270 complaints filed under the Fair Housing Act. 
 
 
 



Ginger Bennett Kutsch
Morristown, NJ