Test Results Overall

Of the total number of tests, 6 % showed some form of different treatment. In three cases, the different treatment was severe enough to lead to the filing of commissioner complaints. In each of these tests, the Testing Team - in reviewing the test results - could not see an apparent, logical reason for the different treatment.

Total

Tests Conducted	304
Different Treatment	18
Complaints	3

Test Results By Community

If familial status tests were conducted in the community within the past five years the results of the prior tests were listed for comparison.

Algona:

1998/99 Test Results

Tests Conducted	13
Different Treatment	0
Complaints	0

1995/96 Test Results

Tests Conducted	10
Different Treatment	2
Complaints	2

Burlington:

1998/99 Test Results

Tests Conducted	26
Different Treatment	0
Complaints	0

Clear Lake:

1998/99 Test Results

Tests Conducted	20
Different Treatment	2
Complaints	0

Test 1

In this test a tester with a child inquired about a one bedroom apartment. The apartment manager told the tester the apartment was small and suggested the tester call other property managers in town. A married tester with no children was not told the apartment was small and was not told to call other property managers in town.


Test 2

In this test the managers placed the words "suitable for Senior Citizens" in their ad for a two bedroom apartment. When a single tester with two children inquired about the unit he was told, "Boy this ain't very big for two girls." "These apartments are awful small." "I think you'd be cramped bad." "I hate to discourage you anything like that but it would be awful tight living quarters."


1995/96 Test Results

Tests Conducted	19
Different Treatment	2
Complaints	2

Coralville:

1998/99 Test Results

Tests Conducted	26
Different Treatment	2
Complaints	0

Test 1 and 2

The tester inquired about a two-bedroom apartment. The manager told the tester, "Normally what it is. Is for the extra person more than there are bedrooms it's an additional $50 per month." The manager also informed the tester that the deposit would be equal to one months rent. [A landlord may base rent amounts on number of people if extra rent amount correlates to increases in utility costs paid by the landlord; but a landlord may not base rental deposits on number of people.]


1995/96 Test Results

Tests Conducted	19
Different Treatment	2
Complaints	2

Dubuque:

1998/99 Test Results

Tests Conducted	69
Different Treatment	1
Complaints	1

Test 1

A tester with two children inquired about a two bedroom apartment. The property owner made the following statements to the tester.

Owner - "So it's a real nice quiet building no kids, whatsoever."

Tester - "Oh OK."

Owner - "And I would like to keep it that way. If possible."

Tester - "Well I've got two girls with me."

Owner - "Oh What are their ages?"

Tester - "They're five and seven."

Owner - "Yeah. I'm trying to get away from that. Because then the other neighbors in the neighborhood sort of congregate around your building and, I don't know, I just, I'd rather not."



Ft. Madison:

1998/99 Test Results

Tests Conducted	10
Different Treatment	3
Complaints	1

Test 1

The managers placed the words "Adults only" in their ad for a two bedroom apartment.


Test 2 and 3

In these tests a single parent with a child inquired about a one bedroom apartment. The tester was only told about one unit whereas a married couple with no children was told about three available units.


1995/96 Test Results

Tests Conducted	9
Different Treatment	2
Complaints	2

Maquoketa:

1998/99 Test Results

Tests Conducted	12
Different Treatment	1
Complaints	0

Test 1

In this test the tester with a child was told, "This is not a good place for children."


1995/96 Test Results

Tests Conducted	9
Different Treatment	6
Complaints	2

Manchester:

1998/99 Test Results

Tests Conducted	7
Different Treatment	0
Complaints	0

1995/96 Test Results

Tests Conducted	6
Different Treatment	3
Complaints	2

Newton:

1998/99 Test Results

Tests Conducted	13
Different Treatment	0
Complaints	0

1995/96 Test Results

Tests Conducted	12
Different Treatment	3
Complaints	2

Oskaloosa:

1998/99 Test Results

Tests Conducted	23
Different Treatment	2
Complaints	1

Test 1

The tester posed as a single parent with a seven year old daughter and inquired about a one bedroom apartment. The owner told the tester, "I just don't rent to children. I've had bad experiences with children you know and. An apartment house where everybody's working and, you know kids want to be noisy and everybody else wants some quiet. So I've had so many problems. Unless it's a small child. You know. I've had those and they're no problem. Like a baby to two or three years. Something like that. But when you get up to kids that are quite active. And I've had teenagers and it just doesn't work with kids in a certain age that are active. Which you know kids should be."

Test 2

The tester posed as a single parent with a child and inquired about a one- bedroom apartment. The manager told the tester she couldn't rent a one-bedroom apartment. The manager said she would need something bigger because of her child.


1995/96 Test Results

Tests Conducted	17
Different Treatment	1
Complaints	1

Sioux City:

1998/99 Test Results

Tests Conducted	74
Different Treatment	6
Complaints	0

Test 1

The tester posed as a single parent with a child. The manager told the tester, "There's absolutely, there's no children in the building of course. So I don't know how, that be very comfortable actually. You know it's always nice to have. Mostly older people and oh a few younger. There are no children there. So I mean there would be nobody to play with. Absolutely none."


Test 2, 3 and 4

A tester posing as a married couple with two children inquired about a two bedroom unit and was told it would be too small. A tester posing as a single parent with two daughters and inquired about a two-bedroom apartment. The tester was told, "You['ll] probably decide it's too small." A third tester, posing as a single parent with two boys, also inquired about the unit and was told he would find the apartment crowded. A tester, posing as married person with no children, was not told the unit would small or crowded. A callback was made to the manager of the property. During the call the manager stated, "Well I live in the apartment complex so I have the right to discriminate." The Iowa Civil Rights Act does contain an exception to the familial status portion of the law however the exception was not applicable in this case.


Test 5

A tester posing as a single parent with two kids inquired about a two bedroom house for rent. The owner of the property volunteered during the call, "But the, like, it [the yard] isn't big enough for kids or anything, you know, to play in. It's just very small." Before the owner knew of the tester's children she volunteered, "It's two large bedrooms and a kitchen. And the wall is out in the kitchen it goes in to kind of the hallway going into the bedrooms which gives you a lot, about an extra three foot in the kitchen in the eating area as you kind of come in the door. And I think the measurements, maybe of the living room is about 20 or 22 by 12. There's a closet in kind of a little smaller walk in closet. Just you can walk into it you know where you can keep the vacuum and things like that in the living room. Two bedrooms have. The master main bedroom has very large. It's a really nice size and the other is a good size for a second bedroom." After the owner learned of the testers children she stated, "I don't know, I mean it's not real big, you know, it's just two bedroom and a kitchen and a living room."


Test 6

The owner varied the deposit based on different factors associated with the tenants including on the number of people occupying the apartment.


1995/96 Test Results

Tests Conducted	10
Different Treatment	3
Complaints	1

Storm Lake:

1998/99 Test Results

Tests Conducted	11
Different Treatment	1
Complaints	0

Test 1

The tester posed as a single parent with a child and inquired about a one bedroom apartment. The tester was told that none of the available units would be big enough. A second tester posing as a married person with no kids also inquired about a one bedroom unit. The tester spoke with a different staff person and was told about an available unit.


1995/96 Test Results

Tests Conducted	10
Different Treatment	2
Complaints	1