Just wanna bring this to the thread HOUSING DISCRIMINATION investigation going on down here in the N.O. its all of the news & the papers down here
SOURCE: NOLA.COM
Discrimination shuts out black renters from New Orleans' wealthy neighborhoods, report finds
African-American families are often steered away from the opportunity to rent in more affluent neighborhoods in New Orleans, preventing them from living in communities with lower crime rates and better educational systems, according to a report released Thursday (Nov. 6) by the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center.
The nonprofit organization sent two undercover "mystery shoppers," one black and one white, with matching incomes, careers and rental histories to Lakeview, East Carrollton, and Uptown near Audubon Park.
They attempted to view or apply for 50 apartments and 44 percent of the time the black tester was denied the opportunity to rent or was "treated unfairly," including failing to show for appointments, ignoring follow-up inquiries or failing to mention benefits offered to the white testers, according to the report.
"Unfortunately, in New Orleans not only does the place where a person lives contribute to one's life outcomes, but race plays a significant part in determining whether one can find a home in neighborhoods that offer the greatest opportunity for positive life outcomes," the report states.
The Civil Rights Act of 1968 prohibits housing discrimination on the basis of race, sex, disability, family status and nationality.
The neighborhoods where the tests took place are at least 70 percent white, compared to 34 percent citywide, have low levels of violent crime, high levels of education and an average household income of $69,000 compared to the city average of $36,600.
The neighborhoods also have greater access to public transportation and lower hospitalization rates for chronic illnesses and congestive heart failure.
The tests were conducted over a four-month period starting last December. The testers, who were trained by the fair housing action center, contacted real estate agents or housing providers and expressed interest in apartment units for rent, asking for basic information, attempting to arrange a viewing and requesting a rental application.
In four cases the real estate agents or housing providers ignored requests by black testers for information while promptly contacting the white testers.
In 10 cases, the agents "pursued and favored" the white testers while "refusing to show the apartment, ceasing to respond to follow-up inquiries after a showing, or failing to provide an application" to the black testers.
During a test near Audubon Park, "a housing provider did not show up to the prearranged appointment to view the apartment with an African-American tester, but did show up that same day to show the apartment to the white tester. The owner subsequently contacted the white tester and tried to lure him into taking the apartment with a break on the utilities payment. The owner never contacted the African-American again."
In an Algiers Point test, the leasing agent canceled an appointment with the black tester, "stating that a deposit on the apartment had been received. However, the agent subsequently met with the white tester to view the apartment, and followed up with the white tester to ask if he was interested."
In nine cases, real estate agents or housing providers gave white testers preferential treatment by reducing application fees, rents and deposit amounts, discounting utilities or waiving the application process entirely.
"In one case, a white tester was told the application process was 'laid back' and required only that the tester be employed; this same housing provider told the African-American tester that he needed to have six months' employment, a landlord reference, and undergo a credit check," according to the report.
To help combat housing discrimination, the fair housing action center recommends that the city impose strict penalties on leasing agents and homeowners who engage in the practice, improve the quality of the city's housing stock, and ensure that lower-income residents in improving neighborhoods such as Bywater, St. Roch, Treme and Holy Cross are not forced out due to higher rents.
"When discriminatory and unfavorable treatment occur in the housing market, neighborhoods become out of reach for many African-Americans, who are too often pushed to racially segregated neighborhoods far from vital services and pathways to opportunity," the report concluded.
