He said he'd had trouble in the past with roommates who packed an apartment with unauthorized residents. He told the Brinkleys of that preference, he said. They testified that he didn't. Dalicandro, who owns several apartments in the area, said he had had no black tenants since 1980. Stallworth said the Urban League handled 19 rental-bias complaints last year, most of which remain unsettled.
Cases can take years to resolve.
Stallworth thinks many cases go unreported. Some victims, she said, may not recognize discrimination, which could involve subtleties such as more stringent or expensive leases for blacks. Others want to avoid the time-consuming aggravation of pursuing a complaint. Columbus' Regional Housing Center also assists victims of racism. The woman won a cash settlement, as have people assisted by the Urban League.