Press Release from: IOWA CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION

IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 10-10-95

Contact Person: Don Grove, Executive Director, 515-281-8084



Iowa Civil Rights commission Conducts Housing Tests in Vinton

On September 12 and 15, 1995 the Iowa Civil Rights Commission (Commission) conducted 15 housing tests in the City of Vinton, Iowa. The tests showed 2 possible violations of state and federal anti-discrimination laws.

The Commission has tested 21 communities under the current testing program. In these tests, the Commission evaluated whether race, presence of children and disability affected the availability of units, caused different treatment of applicants, or was the reason some applicants were discouraged from applying. The testers contacted landlords and realtors by phone and in person to inquire about the availability of housing.

One test showed possible different treatment of applicants because of the presence of children. During this test the manager told the tester that she did not have any children in her building. She stated that they did not want children in the building "because it's mainly for elderly and handicapped." The manager did add, "but the upstairs ones a lot of people don't want their parents upstairs and so we rent it to younger people." The manager also told the tester that she didn't like to rent to people with kids because they were too much trouble.

Iowa Code § 216.8(l) prohibits a landlord from refusing to rent to a person with children and Iowa Code § 216.8(2) prohibits a landlord from discriminating against a person with children in the terms or conditions of the rental.

A second test showed possible different treatment of renters because of the race of the applicants. During this test the realtor met with the African American tester but paid the tester very little attention. The realtor performed office work the entire time the tester visited. During the White tester's visit the realtor gave him his full attention and offered to sell the tester a home. The realtor did not offer to sell the African American tester a home.

The cities tested to date include Altoona, Anamosa, Ankeny, Cherokee, Clive, Coralville, Estherville, Grinnell, Independence, Indianola, Knoxville, Le Mars, Manchester, Maquoketa, Nevada, Sioux Center, Sioux City, Spencer, Storm Lake, Urbandale/Windsor Heights, and Vinton. The results so far indicate 70 possible violations out of 362 tests.