The Rev. Francisco J. Pelaez-Diaz, Hispanic missionary pastor at College Hill Community Church, has brought cases like Lupita’s to the attention of fellow members of Dayton’s Human Relations Council. A social equity subcommittee of the council has studied the problem of housing discrimination against Hispanics for more than a year.
“Immigrants fear reporting a lack of response to fix things from a landlord,” Pelaez-Diaz said. “There is a lack of knowledge of basic rights.”
Though Lupita has moved, the fear of retaliation from her former landlord persists. She asked that her full name not be used in the newspaper.
Undercover investigators, or “testers,” for the Miami Valley Fair Housing Center Inc. will be looking into complaints of housing discrimination against Hispanics as part of a contract with the city.
The Dayton City Commission approved the $30,000 contract on Wednesday, March 10. The contract covers all housing discrimination complaints, not just those lodged on behalf of Hispanics.
For more than a decade, the fair housing center has tested discrimination complaints involving rental property and home ownership, Jim McCarthy, president and CEO of the Miami Valley Fair Housing Center said.
Though numbers are not documented, McCarthy said complaints of discrimination against Hispanics are increasing. “We’re starting to see more and more of it,” he said.
The Human Relations Council for about a year has been collecting anecdotal information about alleged housing discrimination. The fair housing center will now use a method called “pair testing” to determine if the complaints can be verified. Here’s how it works:
Two testers — one Hispanic and one Caucasian or black — will pose as potential renters and independently approach a landlord.
“We literally gather information and report back similarities and differences based on test observations,” McCarthy said. “If we find evidence, we may file an administrative complaint or a lawsuit could be filed.”
Sometimes landlords don’t feel pressure or a sense of urgency to make repairs because the people living there have language limitations, Pelaez-Diaz said.
Language also is an obstacle for the staff of the Human Relations Council. Though two members of the board speak Spanish, none of the office staff is bilingual.
“We do have to begin offering services in a culturally competent way,” Vernellia Randall, a member of the council said.
The Human Relations Council next plans to reach out to landlords to hear their side of the issue. Council members also plan to expand their investigation to include other ethic groups.
“We started with Latinos and Hispanics. As we go along we hope to collect information from other immigrants and refugees in the community,” Pelaez-Diaz said.
“One of the main things we have to look at is how to outreach and service these populations in a culturally responsible way,” Randall said.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2362 or josmith@Dayton DailyNews.com.
About the Author