The Perfect Pairing: University and Community Service Learning, Housing Discrimination and Research

Abstract

Service learning is spreading rapidly across the nation. The class I teach. Sociology 4430—”The Community” at my non-traditional southeastern university, regularly partners with the Central Alabama Fair Housing Center (CAFHC) to provide student service learning experiences. In a Fall 2010 class, after training by the executive director that included an introduction to fair housing laws, protected groups and discrimination cases, the class created a questionnaire, interviewed a convenience sample of residents, analyzed the data and provided reports to CAFHC Students learned about respondents’ personal experiences involving discrimination against protected groups (race, ethnicity, religion, sex, disability, and familial), steering, housing segregation, and difficulties in attaining home loans and insurance. Although not randomly selected, the sample still provided a snapshot of the respondents’ knowledge, perceptions, and experiences. The data analyses and student papers were provided to CAFHC for use in reports and proposals. Data suggested that housing segregation and discrimination continue to exist in this small section of the southern U.S. Responses to open-ended questions regarding racial steering and discrimination further provided evidence that perceptions and the reality of discrimination continue to exist. Service learning provided the perfect forum for students to explore the community and learn firsthand about residents’ housing knowledge, continued segregation, discrimination, and other housing related issues.