Fair Housing of the Dakotas |
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Volunteer Information WHAT IS TESTING? Testing in an investigative tool used by private fair housing groups and government agencies to uncover housing discrimination. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides grants through the Fair Housing Initiatives Programs (FHIP) to private fair housing organizations. These funds help to conduct tests to determine if discriminatory housing practices exist in the housing market. Testing is defined as a simulated housing transaction designed to obtain evidence of differential treatment based on an individual’s protected class status. Stated simply, testing is sending two individuals with similar profiles and housing needs with different protected class status, such as race or gender, to the same available unit to see if they are treated differently because of their protected class status. For example, to test for differential treatment because of race, you would use a minority tester and a white tester, with the minority tester most often performing the test first. Differential treatment might include telling the black tester that apartments were not available, then telling the white tester that they are available, or quoting a higher rent to the black tester for the same unit. |
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Dakotas (FHD) only performs tests
based upon allegations, so the FHD matches the tester with the characteristics and
qualifications of the person who has contacted the FHD expressing concern of discriminatory
practices. Without testing, most housing discrimination goes undetected. WHO ARE TESTERS? Testers are volunteers who receive a small stipend for their expenses. Testers do not try to trap the landlord or cause them to discriminate. The tester’s job is to gather information or to observe how a housing provider treats potential tenants or buyers, much like anyone on a housing search. Testing and the Law:
The Fair Housing of the Dakotas always needs new testers. If you are interested in helping to stop housing discrimination in North and South Dakota, please call 1-888-265-0907 or 701-221-2530 and ask for Stacy. Or email ndfhc5@btinet.net Alternative formats of the information available on this site is available upon request. Back To:
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