Press Release from: IOWA CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 7-3-95
Contact Person: Don Grove, Executive Director, 515-281-8084
Iowa Civil Rights Commission Conducts Housing Tests in Sioux City
On June 24, 1995 the
Iowa Civil Rights Commission (Commission) conducted 12 housing tests in
Sioux City, Iowa. The tests showed 4 possible violations of state and federal
anti- discrimination laws.
The Commission has tested 11 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.
Three of the tests conducted showed different treatment of the tester because
of the presence of children and one of the tests showed an attempt to steer
the tester to another neighborhood because of the race of the tester.
In one test the manager of a house for rent attempted to steer the tester
to other neighborhoods in Sioux City. She also made remarks that could discourage
a renter with a child from considering the property. The manager stated,
"boy it's a pretty small house for 2. 1 mean I'd be thrilled but I'll
be honest with you the west side is considered the least desirable side
of town. A lot of racially mixed neighborhoods. ... I don't know if that
would bother you. I'm not sure what the elementary school situation would
be there. You know it might not be the best." She added, " "I've
got a child too... and that would not be the neighborhood I would want to
live in. God, I shouldn't be telling you that but it's the truth you know."
The manager volunteered, " .. the key schools are considered the northside
schools. When you call around you might ask what district it's in. If they
say Clark, Bryant those are good elementary schools, Lincoln. Clark, Lincoln,
Bryant are kinda considered the, unless you are going to live in Morningside."
The Commission has tested 10 cities, Ankeny, Altoona, Cherokee, Grinnell,
Knoxville, LeMars, Nevada, Sioux Center, Sioux City and Storm Lake with
a total of 153 tests. Possible violations of state and federal laws appeared
in 31 tests.