Press Release from: IOWA CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 4-7-95
Contact Person: Don Grove, Executive
Director, 515- 281-8084
Iowa Civil Rights Commission Conducts
Housing Tests in Ames & Nevada
On March 29 and 31, 1995 the
Iowa Civil Rights Commission conducted 11 housing tests in Ames and Nevada,
Iowa. Three tests showed possible violations of state and federal anti-
discrimination laws.
In the first test, the tester told the management company representative
that she had two elementary aged children. The representative told the tester
that the children would need to be able to handle keys on their own because
of the security system. The representative did not ask the ages of the children.
The statement might seem intended to discourage families from considering
the apartment. It is OK to mention the security system but the landlord
should allow the prospective tenant to decide if it will be a problem for
her children and should not assume that it will be. The representative also
mentioned that she had an apartment in Huxley and that children lived at
this property. This statement combined with the other comments might appear
as an attempt to steer the family to the Huxley apartment.
In the second test, the ad for the rental property stated that the two bedroom
duplex would be "ideal for a couple or 1 person." This ad appears
to discourage families with children from calling. If the property is small,
a better way to indicate that would be to give the square footage of the
unit.
In the third test, the tester called in response to an ad for a three bedroom
apartment. When the tester said she had two children the owner of the property
asked the ages of the children. When told they were 4 and 5 the owner made
the following statement, " I'd be honest with you and tell you up front
that it, where it's located there's a drive on one side, a drive on the
other and Lincoln Way in front. And for smaller children, for really young
children it be fine but for children that age you know, they need a place
to play, and this just doesn't have it. I sure thank you for calling."
The owner assumed the property was not appropriate for this family. The
decision as to the appropriateness of rental property belongs to the prospective
tenant not the landlord or owner.