The housing market in Germany is 'tainted' by widespread racism.
A new study conducted by the German Center for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM) revealed widespread racial discrimination in the German housing market, where Black and Muslim individuals face significant barriers when trying to rent apartments.
The results showed that simply having a foreign-sounding name reduces the chances of a tenant being invited to view an apartment. The likelihood of excluding Black applicants was 39%, and Muslim applicants 35%, compared to only 11% for racially unidentified individuals. Control tests confirmed that applicants with German names were more likely to receive an invitation for a viewing.
The study also highlighted the broader impact of discrimination on housing conditions. Racially identified individuals are more likely to live in temporary rental contracts, spend more than 40% of their income on rent, and reside in smaller, lower-quality homes that are exposed to higher environmental pollution.
Personal testimonies from tenants confirm the extent of the problem. Belvin Okot, who comes from Kenya, faced significant difficulties in finding housing in Bonn despite submitting regular applications. Others reported that landlords request unnecessary guarantors or fabricate problems to exclude Black tenants, highlighting the systemic bias in everyday dealings.
Experts are calling for strengthening anti-discrimination laws, providing affordable social housing, and reforming regulatory frameworks. Noa K. Ha from DeZIM emphasizes that even the second generation of migrants faces difficulties, and targeted civil society support is essential to combat ongoing racial inequality in the German housing market.