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.