Testing and Investigation Services

Until an individual has been personally victimized, most people are unaware that housing discrimination is a social injustice. Preventing housing discrimination and promoting strong, economically stable communities requires educating the general public to recognize and respond to discrimination when it occurs.

The Housing Equality Center developed one of the first “testing” programs in the country to document illegal housing discrimination. Testing is a controlled process used to determine whether or not a person looking for housing is being discriminated against because of their race, color, familial status, disability, national origin, religion, sex or other protected class under federal, state and local fair housing laws. For example, testing is used to determine if a landlord is telling African Americans that no apartments are available while telling white home seekers that apartments are available.

well kept homes

The Housing Equality Center trains “testers” to pose as a person seeking housing or a housing-related service. For example, to test for race discrimination, a Black tester might be sent to a site to inquire about available housing, followed by a white tester. The Housing Equality Center then compares reports documenting how the testers were treated and what information they were given. This investigative tool can help reveal whether illegal housing discrimination is occurring.

The Housing Equality Center needs fair housing testers to help investigate complaints of discrimination and uncover illegal housing practices. The Housing Equality Center conducts testing investigations in the Pennsylvania counties of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton and Philadelphia.

Testers must:

  • Be capable of following instructions and be objective and observant on a test
  • Have excellent writing skills and attention to detail
  • Have no affiliation with any entity engaged in the listing, renting, selling, financing or insuring of real estate property
  • Never have been terminated or asked to leave a position because of fraud or dishonesty
  • Not have a criminal record
  • Have reliable transportation to travel to and from testing sites
  • Have access to fax and/or e-mail

For more information about becoming a fair housing tester, contact Quint Lerch at lerch@equalhousing.org, 267-419-8918 x4 or complete the online form on this page.

To Apply To Become A Tester,
Please Fill Out The Form Below

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PO BOX 558, Fort Washington, PA 19034
866-540-FAIR | 267-419-8918
info@equalhousing.org