Final Voice ID Audit Repjs

Accents Speak Louder Than Words: National Origin Discrimination in Rental Housing In the North Bay Based on Voice Identification An Audit Report By FAIR HOUSING OF MARIN Fair Housing of Marin 615 B Street, San Rafael, CA 94901 phone: 415. 457-5025 / fax: 415. 457-6382 email: fairhousingmarin.com July 2005 1 FOREWORD Discrimination in rental housing against persons because of national origin is illegal in California and throughout the nation. The purpose of this audit was to provide an indication of the extent to which persons of Latin or Hispanic origin experience discrimination or differential treatment in the initial stages of homeseeking, based on their accented speech. Those responsible for this report hope that the results and recommendations contained herein will stimulate awareness and a cooperative effort by all segments of the Marin, Napa, and Sonoma communities to eliminate differential treatment against persons by virtue of their national origin. We acknowledge the contributions and support of Stanford University Professor John Baugh, and Fair Housing of Sonoma County. Funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development supported this project. Fair Housing of Marin is solely responsible for the contents of this report. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5 I. INTRODUCTION 7 ...