Northpinellas: Rent bias results called 'appalling'

When a black renter went looking for an apartment this year in Clearwater, a Coldwell Banker agent informed the person of a required security deposit of $1,250.

Within hours of that visit, the same agent quoted a white renter the same apartment for a deposit of $1,025.

The two people were roughly the same age, with the same housing needs and available finances and nearly identical professional backgrounds. The only difference was that one was black and the other white, and that alone amounted to $225 more in required damage security.

No one might have ever known of this subtle discrimination had the agent realized the renters also shared a script.

Both were among 31 people hired this year to pose as potential renters in an undercover sting that exposed rampant bias toward minority renters in Pinellas County.

The government study released last week reports that an alarming number of area apartment complexes and real estate agents display subtle to extreme forms of differential treatment. Some, the report said, could amount to federal fair housing violations.

Teamed in pairs, testers visited 200 apartment complexes in the county and in each of the three largest cities. First one went in, then the other. Afterward, they compared notes with a consultant hired by the county's Office of Human Rights.

Black testers reported differential treatment 74 percent of the time. Testers of Hispanic origin reported it 56 percent of the time.

The study also looked at bias shown toward people with children (53 percent of the time), people requiring accessibility (68 percent) and those with disabilities (29 percent).

"In one word, the study was appalling," said County Commissioner Ken Welch.

Owners of the complexes will get off with a warning, this time. Officials say the results will be used to step up educational programs by using the results in seminars soon to be offered.

"But after that, I am going to be pushing for the strongest enforcement possible," said Welch, a sentiment echoed by many of his colleagues at the county and city governments. "It is not tolerable in this day and age."

Complex owners met the findings with consternation.

Many said they had questions about the test. Some wanted to know when the reported incidents occurred, so they might check their records, and if necessary, take action with employees.

"Our company has had a nondiscrimination policy in place long before the government enforced one," said Robert Holtzman, a spokesman for Coldwell Banker. "That doesn't mean somebody can go astray."

The difference in the security deposit quoted by the Coldwell Banker agent was among 29 incidents officials say reached a level that could have warranted enforcement.

"If there was an incident, we certainly do want to know about it, and we want to deal with it right away," Holtzman added."

Within days of the study's release, one of the area's largest apartment owners associations agreed to work with the county Office of Human Rights to get employees to participate in seminars on fair housing.

"Everybody should be treated the same, even if the law doesn't protect them," said Marc Rossenwasser, president of the Bay Area Apartment Association, an association that represents nearly 100,000 apartment homes in five counties.

Rossenwasser applauded the study, even though one of three Pinellas apartment complexes owned by his company was cited as requiring enforcement.

At his Colony Square apartments in Largo, one agent told a white tester about specials and amenities; a tester of Hispanic origin met with another agent and was not informed of either.

Though units are the same size, Rossenwasser said some are priced differently based on location and each agent may have preferred tastes that comes across in their sales.

He called that "personalization." Others might consider it "discrimination."

"What we clearly have to do now is there has to be a show unit," Rossenwasser said. "Unfortunately, it takes away some of the personalization."

Some urged caution before passing judgment.

"It may be subjective," said Howard Shiffman of Davna Investments. His company owns Autumn Chase apartments in Largo, where agents gave a white tester a letter of welcome and showed that person more units than the black tester, who did not receive the same letter.

Shiffman called his communities "a melting pot," and invited anyone to examine the demographics of his apartment renters. His employees are required to read and sign articles explaining the Fair Housing Act, and he personally oversees all applications.

He said he would take action, but wants more information on what happened.

"Did my people do something wrong?" he said. "Or was it a perceptual problem?"

Subtle hints given by agents may be enough to dissuade potential renters from even asking for an application.

Oliver Melvin, compliance manager for the Office of Human Rights, said most people don't realize when they are being shooed away.

"Generally, when somebody goes to apply for a rental, or even if they are going to purchase, if they are told the property is no longer available, they will take that at face value," Melvin said. "Housing is such a fundamental need, they will move on."

At the Landings of Clearwater, an agent asked a tester of Hispanic origin for seven more categories of information than was asked of a white tester. The agent also showed the person a different apartment than the white tester.

At Treehouse Apartments, a tester was "told rudely" that no children were allowed, twice.

Both cases were cited in the published study.

"This is endemic in our society," said Edward Quinones, chairman of UNO Federation Community Services, a nonprofit group that represents Hispanic communities in Pinellas County.

"It's happened to my mother and my parents, (although) not in this community. You answer ads, and you go there, and it's been rented. This is why the testing is so critical. You don't get the apartments, you don't get into the neighborhoods where you want your kids raised in."

Fair Housing Continuum, Inc. was one of two consultants contracted by the county's Fair Housing Partnership to carry out the tests. Executive director David Baade called the tests a "controlled process."

Each tester was paired with another, and both were given a profile. They were told how much money they have to spend, the size of the property they needed and when they needed it. They were given an occupation. Testers were roughly the same age and they often visited a targeted apartment on the same day.

"For each tester, everything will be the same, or similar, except for what we are testing," Baade said.

Leon Russell, executive director for the Office of Human Rights, said some of the differential treatment may not amount to discrimination. He said any future enforcement would require more concentrated investigations.

"We are offering the education as the carrot stick," Russell said. "When we come back, it will be to enforce."

-- Michael Sandler can be reached at 445-4174 or sandler@sptimes.com.

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