A study this month in Waterloo will determine whether families with children are discriminated against when they rent property.People posing as prospective tenants, married couples without children and parents with children, will inquire about 20 properties advertised for rent. They won’t disclose their family status to landlords and property owners unless asked. The study, by the Iowa Civil Rights Commission and Waterloo Human Rights Commission, will determine whether people with children are being discriminated against in their housing search. Potential problems will be reviewed by the commission’s staff for possible corrective action.

The study will help the commissions determine whether fair housing laws are being upheld and help educate people about the issue. A final report is expected in June. 

“Testing or the use of testers posing as potential applicants for jobs, apartments, or public services can be an effective and efficient tool for civil rights agencies in their mission to eliminate unlawful discrimination,” said Ralph Rosenberg, executive director of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission in a press release.

Last year, the commission conducted a similar test in the Des Moines area about housing for people with disabilities which found few areas of concern.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, which prohibited discrimination based on race, color and national origin, among other things. In 1988, people with disabilities were added to the list of those protected against housing discrimination, according to the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development.