See the City Manager’s Statement on the Housing Discrimination Test Program Findings

Watertown City Manager George Proakis released a statement on the findings of a Housing Discrimination Test Program conducted in Watertown, and a dozen other are communities. A pair of meetings, one virtual on Feb. 19 and one in-person in Newton on Feb. 26, will be held to discuss the reports findings and recommendations.

See the statement provided by the City of Watertown below.

The City of Watertown is a member of WestMetro HOME Consortium (WMHC), a thirteen-member body of cities and towns who work together to promote and fund affordable housing. WMHC collectively engaged the Housing Discrimination Testing Program at Suffolk University (HDTP) to conduct a two-year testing program in the thirteen communities. This program sends pairs of testers to private brokers and property managers asking to rent housing in member communities, to determine if these individuals or businesses discriminate against applicants on the basis of race or source of income. After 134 random tests across the communities into fair housing, HDTP reported income-based and racial discrimination against individuals seeking housing in all of the communities, including in Watertown.

This outcome proves that we have more work to do to address housing discrimination in our community and our region. Our City is deeply committed to equity, and though these findings involve only private conduct, local government can play a role in helping to prevent housing discrimination. No resident – past, present, or future – should be subject to discrimination of any kind, including in their search for the fundamental right to fair housing.

I have asked our City staff to work with our Affordable Housing Trust and Human Rights Commission, beginning with these initial steps:

Further Testing 

WMHC members (including the City of Watertown) will consider a proposal to conduct a further, one-year testing program in our communities. The City of Watertown has already expressed strong support for further testing and the Affordable Housing Trust will consider ways to ensure such a program is implemented.

Education

Local governments can further educate property owners and real estate agents about housing discrimination laws, including the risk that discriminatory conduct identified by testing will result in enforcement action and penalties.

In addition to the educational efforts developed by the thirteen-body Consortium, staff for the Watertown Affordable Housing Trust and Watertown Human Rights Commission have already begun coordinating on the following:

• Hosting a fair housing event in April (Fair Housing Month).
• Developing flyers & social media banners to promote the event and fair housing.
• Developing a training program for property owners, agents, tenants, and the community about fair housing.
• Exploring partnerships with local real estate agents with the goal of encouraging clients to accept housing vouchers, and encourage property owners and tenants to participate in existing State programs supporting fair housing (such as SNO Mass Program).

If you think you have been subject to housing discrimination, please visit the City’s website to learn about the steps that can be taken to file a complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.

The WMHC and HDTP will be hosting two community meetings in February to present the report’s full findings and policy recommendations. A virtual meeting will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. You can join on Zoom and with the Meeting ID: 885 1968 6470.

There will also be an in-person meeting on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. held at the Newton Free Library, 330 Homer St. Newton, MA 02459.