What’s in a name? Discrimination, for some.
Studies have shown that, even with the same qualifications, people with “Black-sounding” names — like Jamal or Lakisha — are less likely to be considered for a job, compared with applicants with “white-sounding” names — like Emily or Greg. However, employers are not the only ones engaging in this type of racial discrimination. The unfortunate reality is that racism is so deep-rooted in America that it can be found in nearly every facet of society – including housing.
A recent study found that, across the U.S., housing providers are less likely to respond to applicants with African American or Latino-sounding names when renting properties. In the largest study of its kind to date, researchers created fictitious renter profiles with names commonly associated with White, African American, and Hispanic identities. They tracked more than 25,000 interactions between these profiles and property managers in 50 of the largest U.S. cities. The result? Renters with white-sounding names received a response from housing providers 60% of the time, while those with Black-sounding names only received a 54% response rate. Additionally, Hispanic renters received a 57% response rate.
Race-Based Discrimination in Northeast Ohio
The Fair Housing Center’s research has shown that this type of discrimination occurs in Northeast Ohio, too. As part of a 2017 study on housing voucher and race discrimination, The Fair Housing Center’s research team conducted a “test”, or experiment, to determine whether renters who are, or are perceived to be, African American received unfavorable treatment from housing providers more often than white renters. One part of this test involved test coordinators setting up free email accounts using racially-identifiable names. They then conducted matched-pair, race tests for advertised housing units via email and analyzed the results.
The results showed that African American testers experienced unfavorable treatment 12.5% more often than the white testers. This particular study also found that landlords were likely excluding vouchers as a proxy for race-based discrimination, as the majority of voucher holders in Northeast Ohio are African American. Some housing providers ignored Black testers’ inquiries about a property for rent more frequently than white testers. Other housing providers repeatedly told Black testers (or testers with “Black-sounding” names) that a unit was unavailable, while offering to let white testers view the unit. No matter what form the unfavorable treatment came in, one thing remained clear: renters perceived to be African American faced significantly more discrimination than their white counterparts.
The Fight for Fair Housing Continues
For far too long, racist housing policies and practices have plagued communities across the U.S. Because of this, addressing racial discrimination in housing has long been a priority of fair housing work. While progress has been made over the last several decades, there is still a long way to go. Fair housing advocates remain committed to working to ensure that, no matter a person’s race, or any other protected class, for that matter, all people have an equal opportunity to live in the housing of their choice. Northeast Ohio residents who suspect they have experienced housing discrimination, are encouraged to contact the Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research to speak with an advocate.