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Rental Market Discrimination Against Same-Sex Couples: Evidence From a Pairwise-Matched Email Correspondence Test

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  • David Schwegman

Abstract

I present the results of a randomized matched-pair email correspondence test of 6,490 unique property owners in 94 U.S. cities to provide a nationally representative estimate of the level of discrimination that same-sex couples experience when inquiring about rental housing. I find that same-sex male couples, especially non-White same-sex male couples, are less likely to receive a response to inquiries about rental units. I also find that same-sex Black male couples are subject to more subtle forms of discrimination than heterosexual Black couples are. I then examine whether state and local antidiscrimination laws covary with rates of housing discrimination against same-sex couples. Although my results are not causal, I find that antidiscrimination laws have an ambiguous relationship with rates of discrimination faced by same-sex couples. State-level housing protections, for example, covary positively with response rates for same-sex Black male couples, whereas local-level laws covary negatively with response rates for these couples.

Suggested Citation

  • David Schwegman, 2019. "Rental Market Discrimination Against Same-Sex Couples: Evidence From a Pairwise-Matched Email Correspondence Test," Housing Policy Debate, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(2), pages 250-272, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:houspd:v:29:y:2019:i:2:p:250-272
    DOI: 10.1080/10511482.2018.1512005
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    Cited by:

    1. Mattie Mackenzie-Liu & David J. Schwegman & Leonard M. Lopoo, 2020. "Do Foster Care Agencies Discriminate Against Gay Couples? Evidence from a Correspondence Study," Center for Policy Research Working Papers 224, Center for Policy Research, Maxwell School, Syracuse University.
    2. Chan, Eric W. & Fan, Yulian, 2023. "Housing discrimination in the low-income context: Evidence from a correspondence experiment," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(PA).
    3. Maalsen, Sophia & Wolifson, Peta & Rogers, Dallas & Nelson, Jacqueline & Buckle, Caitlin, 2021. "Understanding discrimination effects in private rental housing," SocArXiv jdycg, Center for Open Science.
    4. Brodie Fraser & Elinor Chisholm & Nevil Pierse, 2021. "“You’re so powerless”: Takatāpui/LGBTIQ+ people’s experiences before becoming homeless in Aotearoa New Zealand," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(12), pages 1-23, December.
    5. Hellyer, Joshua, 2021. "Homophobia and the home search: Rental market discrimination against same-sex couples in rural and urban housing markets," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    6. Mattie Mackenzie‐Liu & David J. Schwegman & Leonard M. Lopoo, 2021. "Do Foster Care Agencies Discriminate Against Gay Couples? Evidence from a Correspondence Study," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 40(4), pages 1140-1170, September.
    7. Luca Fumarco & Benjamin Harrell & Patrick Button & David Schwegman & E Dils, 2020. "Gender Identity, Race, and Ethnicity-based Discrimination in Access to Mental Health Care: Evidence from an Audit Correspondence Field Experiment," NBER Working Papers 28164, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Gaddis, S. Michael & DiRago, Nicholas V., 2021. "Audit Studies of Housing in the United States: Established, Emerging, and Future Research," SocArXiv fn4ta, Center for Open Science.
    9. Catherine Balfe & Patrick Button & Mary Penn & David Schwegman, 2021. "Infrequent Identity Signals and Detection Risks in Audit Correspondence Studies," NBER Working Papers 28718, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Gouveia, Filipe & Nilsson, Therese & Berggren, Niclas, 2020. "Religiosity and discrimination against same-sex couples: The case of Portugal's rental market," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    11. M. V. Lee Badgett & Christopher S. Carpenter & Maxine J. Lee & Dario Sansone, 2024. "A Review of the Economics of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 62(3), pages 948-994, September.
    12. Murchie, Judson & Pang, Jindong & Schwegman, David J., 2021. "Can information help Lakisha and Jamal find housing? Evidence from a low-cost online experiment of landlords," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).

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