"Housing is a basic existential need and affects everything from a person's career chances to physical and mental health. At the same time, finding a suitable place to live can be hard in Germany and even harder for people who are not white Germans. That's according to a new study by the German Center for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM). It is the first comprehensive analysis of how racialized people people from ethnic and racial minorities are discriminated against in the housing market."
"The National Discrimination and Racism Monitor (NaDiRa), part of DeZIM, surveyed just over 9,500 people between August 2024 and January 2025. The results were statistically analyzed and linked to official data, such as information on environmental pollution in specific areas. Muslim and Black people reported that they are excluded from apartment viewings due to discrimination far more frequently than non-racialized people, with a probability of 35% and 39%, respectively, compared to 11%."
"Researchers also found evidence to support this pattern: they sent applications to actual ads for apartments, varying the names of the supposed applicants while leaving income and education the same. The results showed that applicants with German-sounding names had a 22% chance of being invited to a viewing, while 16% applicants with names common in the Middle East, Turkey or Africa received invites."
"Belphine Okoth came to Germany from Kenya for her postgraduate studies in 2023 and has been looking for an apartment in Bonn for five months without any luck. She said she has subscribed to almost every property portal available and sends on average three applications a day. "I can't say for certain, but there could be some bias because I make sure to send my applications in German, I don't have my picture on my profile, so when"
The German Center for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM) produced a comprehensive analysis of discrimination against racialized people in the German housing market. The National Discrimination and Racism Monitor (NaDiRa) surveyed just over 9,500 people between August 2024 and January 2025 and linked responses to official data. Muslim and Black respondents reported exclusion from apartment viewings at much higher rates (35% and 39%) than non-racialized respondents (11%). An audit test sending identical applications with different names found German-sounding names received 22% viewing invites versus 16% for names common in the Middle East, Turkey or Africa. Individual accounts report prolonged searches and suspected bias.
Read at www.dw.com
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