discrimination. advice needed.

[Drama Queen]

so i thought i found an apartment down the street from disneyland. the rent was a bit too high for my liking but after doing some calculating i figured i could do it. just cant spend like i used to anymore.

the apartment manager was nice enough, told me yeah, this would be perfect for you and your daughter. he told me the rent was a bit high and i told him how much i make per week and he was alll "oh yeah you could definitely pull this off no question! he then said he approves based on "attitude." ok great. i've got a great attitude. so i put in an application and put down a deposit. before i could even sign the application i made the mistake of asking him what church did he go to because he mentioned he needed to get going for a church meeting. he then mentioned he was a jehova witness. he then "preached" to me for a good 45 minutes and then started slamming christianity saying they were nothing but money hungry people. i told him, not true. he kept going at it, then i guess he must have noticed my eyes glazing over...he apologized and said...sorry i just love helping people. he would let me know right away, like the next day if my credit check was good.

next day comes. didnt get a call. so i called him. no answer. called and left a message. still no return phone call. 2 days later he calls me back and says sorry, we are still going thru the process we'll know by monday. so monday comes. his wife called me back. i have no voice at all to speak so daisy had to tell her that i would whisper. she then tells me that the apartment manager was concerned with my income, that he took one look at my paycheck stub and decided that i wouldtn be able to make it living here. and he didnt even run a credit check. great. based on attitude. fucking ass. so i picked up my deposit and wow...at least they were kind enough to give me my credit check money back. the apartment manager's son was the one who gave me my deposit/money back. they couldnt even face me. bastards.

so i was discriminated against because of religion. i want to complain. who do i talk to? any advice greatly appreciated.

 

[nbcrusader]

You could start here

This organization offers assistance when faced with potential housing discrimination claims.


If anyone has had a Jehova's Witness "kick the dust off their feet" - you have a taste of what was experienced here.

 

[u2bonogirl]

Yikes. That sucks.

I've known some JWs in the past that actually would'nt associate with people they couldnt convert. It sucked for their kids since they didnt have a wide variety of friends to choose from.
And I had a babysitter who quit when my dad wouldn't convert.

 

[Liesje]

That's terrible! Best of luck! I hope you are able to take some action against the manager.

 

[verte76]

That pisses me off big time.

 

[Achtung_Bebe]

wow this jerk totally changed his story all because his religious rant didn't draw you in I'm sorry I don't know where to direct you, but good luck with this. You should definately do what you can to set this guy straight.

 

[ylimeU2]

I don't have any advice to offer, but I do think you should take some sort of action. That is extremly unfair to you. Good luck in whatever happens.

 

[BrownEyedBoy]

Out of curiosity, if it's a private deal, doesn't he have the right to choose who he leases the apt. to?

 

[BAW]

Out of curiosity, if it's a private deal, doesn't he have the right to choose who he leases the apt. to?

There are federal and state laws in the US that prohibit a landlord from refusing to rent to someone based on sex, race, religion, marital status, etc.

The trick is proving you were denied for one of those reasons.

 

[deep]

I am sorry you did not get your application approved.


Take your story and leave out the part about discussing religion.

Are you sure the result would have been the same?


Remember you said

" the rent was a bit too high for my liking but after doing some calculating i figured i could do it. just cant spend like i used to anymore."

In the future stay on topic and don't discuss religion or politics.


I don't believe the person rents only to seven day advents.
I bet he has rented to many main stream Christians.

Just keep looking, You will find something else.

 

[deep]

Out of curiosity, if it's a private deal, doesn't he have the right to choose who he leases the apt. to?

No, we have fair housing laws.

In the 60s the Republican Party got a statewide initiative past
stating that an owner could refuse to sell or rent to anyone.

This was overturned.

It was a thinly disguise attempt to keep blacks out of white neighborhoods.

 

[beegee]

hey deep i'm sorry you think she's full of shit, but she's not.

why don't you take your post and leave out the condescending attitude.

remember she said

"i put in an application and put down a deposit"

the man took two thousand dollars from her as a deposit

and then changed his mind for no apparent reason when originally he told her

"oh yeah you could definitely pull this off no question!"

in the future, if you have nothing but thinly veiled contempt to add, then don't.



i don't believe this will be the last time you treat someone like this.
i bet you love treating people like this.

just keep looking. you'll find other threads.

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

I'm sorry this happened to you. Good luck.

 

[Got Philk?]

Well the thing is, if something changed unfortunately, why couldn't the bastard tell her what it was so she didn't have to speculate. Sending his son to give back the deposit etc. What a tool.

Not that I think you're speculating DQ. I'm sorry this happened to you. I surely hope you can find another place! I'm an eternal optimist. Ready, here it comes. At least you don't have that loser as your landlord.

 

[cell]

I am sorry you did not get your application approved.


Take your story and leave out the part about discussing religion.

Are you sure the result would have been the same?


Remember you said

" the rent was a bit too high for my liking but after doing some calculating i figured i could do it. just cant spend like i used to anymore."

In the future stay on topic and don't discuss religion or politics.


I don't believe the person rents only to seven day advents.
I bet he has rented to many main stream Christians.

Just keep looking, You will find something else.

(posting as Drama Queen)
this seems very condescending, and i would appreciate it if you didnt make me feel like it was my fault.

all i did was ask a simple question...of what church did he go to. the man went on a 45 minute preaching rant. regarding the application process...he said it was "looking good" and that he approves applicants on "attitude." the man took 1900 from me and kept it for 4 days...he NEVER ran a credit check. the guy told me as long as i never filed bankruptcy or was never evicted, i would be fine. the deposit would have been higher because of poor credit.

 

[deep]

The first thing I wrote was

"I am sorry you did not get your application approved."

It was not my intention to come off as condescending.

I do have over twenty years experience with tenant / landlord law.


NBcrusader did post a link for O C Fair Housing.

complaint form here

You can file a complaint
based upon what you have written I do not believe there is enough for the case to go forward.

Tenant / landlord relationships are business relationships and talking politics or religion are generally not advised, I have learned to avoid those topics along with many others.

Like someone else posted,
this guy seems a bit off. He would probably be a poor landlord.

I believe you can find a better place and you will be glad you did not get this one.

 

[U2DMfan]

Send them a card signed
"Happy St Patty's Day from The Impoverished Sinners"

 

[fly so high!]

You could start here

This organization offers assistance when faced with potential housing discrimination claims.

Go for it Drama Queen! it does not matter if nothing comes out of it, the complaint will not be ignored, it will be on his file, i'm sure it was not his first and it sounds like it won't be his last either!

Make some noise.......... i would also write a disapproving letter to him,reminding that he has lost a perfectly reliable tenant!