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Ashland study shows bias against black renters

Source: Ashland Daily Tidings

A study commissioned by the city shows a "shockingly high rate of discrimination" against blacks seeking to rent housing in Ashland. The Fair Housing Council of Oregon found that six of nine landlords, or two-thirds, expressed racial bias when showing a rental to a black tester. The study, completed in June, also found that three of seven testers with children and three of seven with disabilities, or about 43 percent in each category, received discriminatory treatment. The council completed 33 housing discrimination tests in all. "It's unfortunate that, still in the day and age, this type of discrimination is commonplace, but it is — even in Ashland," said Brandon Goldman, senior planner with the city. The city used federal community development block grant funds to pay for the study, he said. The research was needed because the city's documents on housing impediments hadn't been updated since 1996, Goldman said. As part of the study, The Fair Housing Council sent employees to inquire separately about housing listed for rent. After, the testers compared notes. "Some were told the property was no longer for rent, but then another person would come and it would still be for rent," said Goldman. Sometimes the discrimination was more subtle, as when the landlords gave certain testers a better tour or more information about the rentals, he said.

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