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CLOSED DOORS
Housing discrimination complaints on rise across country
St. Louis mother Arkay O'Malley filed a housing discrimination complaint after a landlord wouldn't lease her an apartment because she has three kids. O'Malley's not alone. Thousands of Americans file complaints every year contending they're discriminated against based on race, disability, sex, national origin, religion, skin color or whether a family has children — a violation of the federal Fair Housing Act. Find out more in an in-depth database report.
ESSENTIAL READING
Update: Landlords can set standards for tenants, buyers
DEBORAH BARFIELD BERRY, Gannett News Service | October 4, 2007
Federal law banning housing discrimination is clear, but landlords can consider such factors as prospective tenants' job status, creditworthiness and criminal record. They must apply the criteria equally to all prospective tenants.
Growing number of complaints allege unfair treatment in housing market
By DEBORAH BARFIELD BERRY and ROBERT BENINCASA, Gannett News Service | September 27, 2007
Housing discrimination was banned decades ago, but complaints alleging discrimination have been on the rise in recent years.
Aggressive outreach, disability cases help explain high complaint rates
By DEBORAH BARFIELD BERRY and ROBERT BENINCASA, Gannett News Service | September 27, 2007
Some of the counties with the highest rates of housing complaints are in Kansas and Iowa. County officials say that could be because awareness of housing rights is higher there.
Anti-immigrant hostility fuels discriminatory housing laws, officials say
September 27, 2007 |
Housing groups use ads to push anti-discrimination message
September 27, 2007 |
Highlights of the GNS analysis of housing discrimination complaints
September 27, 2007 |
Housing official says agency working to be more consistent
September 27, 2007 |
Testers play crucial role in exposing discrimination
September 27, 2007 |
VICTIMS' STORIES
Mom challenges landlord on no-kids policy
By DEBORAH BARFIELD BERRY, Gannett News Service | September 27, 2007
A new kitchen lures single mom to apartment, but the landlord says he won't take children or pets.
Polio victim still fighting battle over curb
By DEBORAH BARFIELD BERRY, Gannett News Service | September 27, 2007
Peter Raimondi's condo association says it won't put in a curb cut and ramp for him, even if he pays for it himself.
Housing 'testers' confirmed black pastor's discrimination case
By DEBORAH BARFIELD BERRY, Gannett News Service | September 27, 2007
The place was perfect but a Cincinnati-area pastor couldn't get the landlord to show it to him, even though it stayed vacant for three months.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Filing a housing discrimination complaint
September 27, 2007 |
The Fair Housing Act
September 27, 2007 |
ONLINE-EXCLUSIVE FEATURES
Searchable database
Explore housing discrimination complaints for every U.S. county from 2002 to 2006. Find out how many complaints involved race, ethnicity, disabilities, family status and other factors.
Share your views
We want your feedback about housing discrimination. Share your answers to these questions with other readers by adding to our comment system.
» Do you think you were ever discriminated against when you tried to rent an apartment or buy a house? Tell us about it.
» The Fair Housing Act bans housing discrimination. What do you think about the argument that property owners should be able to rent or sell to whomever they want?
» It's been nearly 40 years since the Fair Housing Act was enacted. To what extent do you think discrimination still exists in the housing market? What more should be done?
Video
Identifying discriminators
September 27, 2007
A public service announcement shows how you can discover if a Realtor or landlord is discriminating.
For white buyers only
September 27, 2007
Nealie Pitts was looking for an investment property when she ran across a man who claimed his home was for white buyers only.
Refusing the disabled
September 27, 2007
Peter Raimondi, a polio victim, asked his condo association for a curb cut so he could get to his home from his car. The association refused his request and refused to allow the accommodation even if he paid for it.
Discrimination example
September 27, 2007
WLTX-TV in South Carolina uncovered a case of discrimination in its own backyard. A local Realtor told potential buyers that the condo community where she sold homes did not allow a “mixed neighborhood.”
Graphics
All graphics open in pop-up windows.
» Total number of complaints from 2002 to 2006
» Total complaints from 2002 to 2006 by complaint type
» Nine categories of housing complaints
» Outcomes of housing complaints
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