A new study documents staggering racial bais in the Boston rental market and compares the racial disparities among prospective tenants seeking housing in 2018 and 2019.
A study by researchers at Suffolk University Law School examines racial bias among real estate professionals working in the Boston rental market and examines the differential treatment experienced by qualified renters on the basis of race. "In subtle and overt ways, Black renters experienced discrimination by real estate brokers and landlords in 71 percent of the cases tested in the study," writes Meghan E. Irons. The study also found that people seeking housing with Section 8 housing vouchers experienced even greater rates of discrimination in that "regardless of race, they were routinely blocked, ignored, or turned away by an agent," Irons reports.
Researchers conducted 700 undercover tests in which 200 Black and white participants with similar income levels and credits scores posed as prospective tenants and documented their experiences in writing after interacting with real estate brokers. Irons points out that over 180 of the 200 participants had exclusive contact with a real estate or management company professional. According to the researchers, these professionals are in part responsible for the discriminatory practices unveiled by the study and should work to correct the racist bias.
Enforcing Housing Discrimination Laws Falls Largely on Tenants, Nonprofits
With few enforcement mechanisms even in cities that have bans on source-of-income discrimination on the books, it’s up to nonprofit lawyers and tenants to sue landlords for retribution.
Three Key Calls to Action to Improve Racial Equity in Transit Policy
Important changes are necessary to promote racial equity in transit policy, governance, and agency recruitment, according to Darnell Grisby, director of policy development at the American Public Transit Association.
Reporters Go Undercover to Identify Housing Discrimination
A three-year investigation of the real estate industry on Long Island reveals rampant discriminatory practices and an industry complicit in the segregation of the communities that comprise the region.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research