May 19, 2011

Yesterday, Commissioner Fish contacted landlords and property owners evaluated as part of recent Fair Housing audit testing.

This notification is the first step in a comprehensive action plan Commissioner Fish is implementing around Fair Housing in Portland.

Landlords notified they flunked test

Nikole Hannah-Jones in the Oregonian

Landlords, HUD Respond to Release of Names in Discrimination Audit

Denis Theriault in the Mercury

Fair Housing Statement from the Metro Multifamily Housing Association Board

Released May 17, 2011

Portland housing outcry failed to understand complexity of discrimination, says HUD spokesman 

Mikhail Zinshteyn in The American Independent

Breaking News: Nick Fish releases names of fair housing test offenders

Joanne Zuhl in Street Roots

Fish Identifies Apartment Owners Named in Discrimination Audit

Brent Walth in the Willamette Week

The Naughty List for Landlords

Dennis Theriault in the Portland Mercury

Fish, housing bureau warn landlords about discrimination

Steve Law in the Portland Tribune

Commissioner Nick Fish has released list of properties found to have discriminated in housing audit

Nikole Hannah-Jones in the Oregonian 

May 17, 2011

RE:  Fair Housing Audit Testing

Dear Property Owner:

As you may know, the Portland Housing Bureau ("PHB") commissioned fair housing audit tests performed by the Fair Housing Council of Oregon. 

The tests were designed to determine whether prospective tenants were treated differently based on race or national origin. 

During the audit, the property at the address referenced above was tested and differences in treatment were reported.

If the results are correct, a violation of federal, state and local fair housing laws may have occurred.  Violation of fair housing laws could result in a variety of penalties, including, but not limited to, fines and/or mandatory training. 

PHB and the City of Portland are committed to ending discrimination in rental housing in our community.  Next week, we plan to refer the test results to the Civil Rights Division of the State of Oregon, the Bureau of Labor and Industries.

If you have any questions about the audit or its results, please contact Daniel Ledezma at daniel.ledezma@portlandoregon.gov or 503.823.3607.

Sincerely,

Nick Fish,

Commissioner