Tonya Wood, a Section 8 housing voucher recipient and criminal justice graduate student at Rutgers University, can't move out of her dilapidated Edison, N.J. apartment because landlords keep rejecting her voucher out of hand. Discrimination against Section 8 voucher holders is barred under New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination. Yet, an investigation by the Asbury Park Press found this type of housing discrimination is widespread, blatant and often occurs with impunity. Wood's experience with this Woodbridge landlord is just one example. She recorded this phone call — part of a hopeful six-minute conversation with the landlord of a condo she wanted to rent — because Wood records all business calls. Now, it has become a key piece of evidence in a discrimination case she filed with the state Division on Civil Rights.

Transcript

Landlord: Hello.

Tonya Wood: Hi, my name is Tonya, I'm returning a call?

Landlord: Yeah. Hi. I'm calling regarding a rental application that you filled out through Zillow.

Tonya Wood: Okay.

Landlord: So you're interested in a property in Woodbridge, N.J.?

Tonya Wood: Okay. Are you a Realtor or the landlord?

Landlord: No, the landlord.

Tonya Wood: Okay. 

Landlord: So I understand that you're interested in the property in Woodbridge. It's a condominium complex.

Tonya Wood: Okay.

Landlord: And it's on the third floor. It's two bedrooms, one bathroom, kitchen, dining room, in-unit laundry. It has a skylight, balcony. And that's about it. And also off, meaning, besides that, the condominium complex offers tennis courts. There's a playground. I don't know if you have kids.

Tonya Wood: Yeah, I'm actually expecting.

Landlord: Oh, congratulations.

Tonya Wood: Thank you.

Landlord: So yeah, it has a playground. It has a swimming pool, and has a clubhouse. So the clubhouse doesn't have a gym or anything, but if you are a renter, if you wanted to maybe have a gathering or something, you could contact the management office and see if they would rent it to you. Okay? Because parties are not allowed in the unit.

Tonya Wood: Right.

Landlord: I'm not sure if you're one of those.

Tonya Wood: I'm not and that's why I'm trying to move.

Landlord: Okay.

Tonya Wood: I'm a graduate student at Rutgers. So yeah, this semester is my last two classes. And then I graduate in January, my baby's due in November. So yeah, I have to move from where I am. I'm adjacent to Middlesex County College. And it's a lot of partying that goes on like these kids. Yeah, they don't have concept of time. It's really bad. Yeah.

Landlord: So, yeah. So this is a very quiet neighborhood.

Tonya Wood: Good.

Landlord: And like I said, it's on the third floor. It's a condominium complex. And you are near, as I listed, you're near all these shopping areas, all the major highways. You shouldn't have a problem. I mean, there -- just want to let you know there is no bus stop.

Tonya Wood: That's fine. I drive. I'm familiar with like Woodbridge, Edison area.

Landlord: Oh, great.

Tonya Wood: I live in Edison, so yeah.

Landlord: So I understand you listed two people, occupants. So I understand it's your husband?

Tonya Wood: No. It's just, it's me and my 17-year-old daughter.

Landlord: Okay. Just you two? You said you're a full-time student, but do you also work too?

Tonya Wood: I work too. Yes. I only have two classes in the fall.

Landlord: Okay. So you're working and the only two people that will be living there as of right now...

Tonya Wood: Me and my 17-year-old, yeah. 

Landlord: Okay. And is there anything you want to ask me before?

Tonya Wood: Yes. Are there any utilities that are included?

Landlord: Yes. You live in New Jersey, correct?

Tonya Wood: Yes.

Landlord: Okay. So you are not responsible for the water. You are not responsible for the sewer charge or anything like that. But you are responsible for your electricity, which is PSE&G.

Tonya Wood: And Elizabethtown Gas? I don't know if Woodbridge has Elizabethtown Gas?

Landlord: Yes it does. But I believe that it gets included in the PSE&G, if I'm not mistaken.

Tonya Wood: Okay, because in Edison, I have two separate, two separate bills.

Landlord: Oh, you're you're currently in Edison?

Tonya Wood: Yeah. I'm like adjacent to Middlesex County College.

Landlord: Okay, you know what, you did say that.

Tonya Wood: Yeah.

Landlord: You know what? I've had so many phone calls.

Tonya Wood: It's okay.

Landlord: But, I'm sorry. So we do have hardwood floors, okay? Now, only thing we will require is that area rugs need to be placed.

Tonya Wood: Yes. Definitely.

Landlord: You know, in the living room and the dining room and the hallway. And we do not allow pets.

Tonya Wood: That's fine. I'm not a smoker and I have no pets.

Landlord: I was about to say the smoking too. Okay, um, this is the phone number. Is this your phone number?

Tonya Wood: Yes, this is and this is, and what was the monthly rent on this?

Landlord: It's $1,900.

Tonya Wood: Okay. Is it negotiable by a few dollars? Because I also have a Section 8 voucher and they cover up to $1,893.

Landlord: What do you have? I'm sorry.

Tonya Wood: A Section 8 voucher. I'm not sure if you're familiar with that?

Landlord: Yeah, we don't take that.

Tonya Wood: We as in you or the complex?

Landlord: The complex or us, because, you know...

Tonya Wood: You know, it's. Okay, so I'm gonna just stop you there. Because once I'm done with grad school I'm going to -- I just got into, accepted into, Rutgers Law. It's illegal to not accept it. So I'm not sure why or who told you that. Now if that's your preference, then that's fine, but you can't deny someone housing because they have a voucher.

Landlord: No, no, no, no. It's not about anything. It's just that we are basically, we don't, we, maybe I should have rephrased when I said, we are the owner of this condominum.

Tonya Wood: Okay, so your preference is to not accept it?

Landlord: Right.

Tonya Wood: Okay. Okay, that's fine.

Landlord: Yeah, that's what I meant. Like we are the owners. We don't have multiple units. You know what I mean? Renting. This is not something that, you know, we're renting away apartments or anything. We are private renters. Does that makes sense?

Tonya Wood: No, it does. My mom is a landlord, so I know exactly how private renting goes. But I'm just letting you know that in the future, like your verbiage. You can't say that we don't accept that. You can't deny someone with a voucher.

Landlord: Okay. So, yeah, so because of that, I think this might not work out.