Discrimination rampant in Austria’s housing market: Legal support body

By Timo Kirez

GENEVA (AA) - Discrimination against minorities is creating problems in Austria’s housing market as research shows that people with foreign-sounding names face difficulties in renting homes or apartments, the Ombud for Equal Treatment (GAW) said Wednesday.

Speaking at a press conference in Vienna, the head of GAW, Sandra Konstatzky, said the number of people affected is growing as discrimination against ethnicity also affects social housing.

In its latest report, GAW, a predominantly promotion-type and legal support body that provides legal advice and support for persons who feel discriminated against, called for new standards in the housing market to prevent prejudice against minorities.

The report was based on a study with two groups: people with foreign-sounding names and people with native-sounding names who called agents for house viewings. Half of the cases showed that the test callers from the former group received only an inspection appointment while those from the other group received an invitation to view the premises.

Konstatzky called the study result “alarming,” adding they will now call for talks on how to resolve the issue with the real estate industry.

She also stressed that families with children are deeply affected and that discrimination not only occurs in the housing industry but also in municipal and cooperative housing.