Studies show Latinx families continue to experience discrimination as a barrier to housing choice.
to investigate if whites are looked upon more favorably than Blacks. “We also do large-scale investigations every year in the rental market and for appraisals, and we pick a different protected class each year,” she says. “It could be discrimination against national origin or Latina mothers. If we get strong evidence of discrimination we retest and then we can file a complaint.” Latinx parents targeted Last year, FHANC released a report of its findings from an investigation of housing discrimination against Latinx parents. As many as 60 landlords operating rental properties in Marin, Solano and Sonoma counties were contacted. Testers posing as potential renters with children—one Latinx and one white non-Latinx—called landlords to inquire about the av Discriminating against households with children or expressing a preference for households without children is called familial status discrimination, which is prohibited by fair housing laws. At 58% of the properties investigated, FHANC found evidence of familial status discrimination (39%), national origin discrimination (over 30%), or both (15%). Caroline Peattie, executive director of FHANC, stated at the time of the report’s release that although federal and state fair housing laws have for decades prohibited housing discrimination on the basis of national origin and familial status, the complaints her organization receives, and the results of such investigations, show that Latinx families continue to experience discrimination as a barrier to housing choice. “Discrimination against Latinx renters is compounded when they have children,” she said. “It’s clear that more enforcement actions are needed, as well as increased education and outreach to property owners and managers. When housing providers are willing to openly state their
discriminatory housing policies, even in writing, that suggests the likelihood that at least some are unaware of their legal obligations.” Earlier this year, FHANC settled a disability discrimination complaint against Burbank Housing Development Corporation and Burbank Housing Management Corporation, which own or manage a large number of properties in Sonoma County. This includes the Parkwood Apartments in Santa Rosa and the Oak Ridge Apartments in Sonoma. The complaint settled for $41,500 plus injunctive relief. “Burbank manages hundreds of units of housing, so it has enormous impact on the community where it operates,” explained Howard-Gibbon. The complaint was initially filed in June 2022 with the Department of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) and HUD. It alleged that Burbank and other named respondents discriminated against people with disabilities. “For many years our agency had been receiving calls from tenants who have complained that agents at Burbank properties make it difficult for them to access reasonable accommodations in many ways,” said Peattie at the time of the settlement. “Our agency does a lot of disability discrimination work, and most of it we settle with landlords so we can avoid lawsuits,” adds Howard-Gibbon. Housing vouchers scorned FHANC also handles numerous cases of discrimination against people who are seeking housing with Section 8 vouchers. Section 8 of the Fair Housing Act of 1937 provides rental housing assistance to low-income households by paying private landlords to house these tenants. In general, 69% of Section 8 assistance benefits seniors, children and people with disabilities, according to the Center on Budget
December 2024
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