Press Release from: IOWA CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION

IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 4-3-96

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


Iowa Civil Rights Commission Conducts Housing Tests in Washington

In March 1996, the Iowa Civil Rights Commission (ICRC) conducted 20 housing tests in the City of Washington, Iowa. The tests showed 3 possible violations of state and federal anti-discrimination laws.

The ICRC has, tested 45 communities under the current testing program. The results so far indicate 131 possible violations out of 841 tests.

In these tests the ICRC evaluated whether race, presence of children or 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 inquired about the availability of housing.

Three tests showed possible different treatment because the tester had a child. In one test the owner told a married tester with a small child that she had an "occupancy of two" for her two bedroom apartment. In another test the landlord told the tester his one bedroom apartment was "ideal for 1 person". A third owner told a tester that he did not want any young kids in
his unit.

Iowa Code § 216.8(1) prohibits a landlord from refusing to rent to persons with children and Iowa Code § 216.8(3) prohibits a landlord from discouraging persons with children from considering their property. Also Federal Law prohibits landlords from restricting families with children from certain areas of a housing complex or from certain floors.

Landlords should let prospective tenants with children decide if the property is suitable.

The cities tested include Algona, Altoona, Anamosa, Ankeny, Boone, Carroll, Centerville, Charles City, Cherokee, Clear Lake, Clive, Coralville, Creston, Decorah, Denison, Des Moines Estherville, Fairfield, Ft. Dodge, Grinnell, Independence Indianola Keokuk, Knoxville, Le Mars,
Manchester, Maquoketa, Muscatine, Nevada, Newton, Oelwein, Oskaloosa, Ottumwa, Pella, Pery, Sioux Center, Sioux City, Spencer, Storm Lake, Urbandale, Vinton, Washington Waverly, Webster City, Windsor Heights.