France: Racial discrimination in the housing market in the Parisian region (Le Parisien, 5 May 2019)

• Housing and racism: a year-long investigation into discrimination

• Original headline in French: Logement et racisme : un an d’enquête sur les discriminations

• By Timothée Boutry. Published in Le Parisien on 6 May 2019

• https://www.leparisien.fr/societe/logement-et-racisme-un-an-d-enquete-sur-les-discriminations-06-05-2019-8066877.php

• Summary:

  • The article presents the results of a year-long investigation by the NGO SOS Racisme into the phenomenon of racial discrimination in the region of Ile-de-France (Parisian region).

  • The NGO responded to 775 real estate rental ads in all the departments of the Ile-de-France region, using the same (fake) profile of the aspiring tenant, and changing only their last name.

  • A person with an Asian sounding last name has a 15% less chance of getting a flat than a person of French origin (or French-sounding name); a person from Maghreb/of Maghreb descent has 28% less chance of getting a flat than a French, and a person from overseas or sub-Saharan Africa has 38% less chance.

  • Rental price didn't have any impact on discrimination. However, the investigation found that individual landlords tend to discriminate more than rental agencies (in 87% and 68% of cases respectively).

• Keywords: France, Ile-de-France, racism, discrimination, racial discrimination, race, racism, housing market, rental market, Paris, SOS racisme