Officials Back Ruling Against Discrimination

Reactions to the Legislature's recent ban on discrimination in multiple-dwelling housing have, for the most part, taken the form of welcome acceptance and optimism.

Signed by Governor Furcolo on Wednesday, the bill prohibits landlords from discriminating on the basis of "race, color, creed, or national origin" in choosing tenants. The law, which applies to privately owned apartment houses with three or more units, extends the present ban on discrimination in publicly financed housing.

"There are enough teeth in the new law to insure its success," Walter H. Nolan, Executive Secretary of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, said yesterday. His commission will enforce compliance with the bill through meetings with landlords, investigations of complaints, and public hearings.

Although the ruling will make a "considerable impact" on apartment house owners, Nolan predicted that about 90 per cent of the landlords affected would comply without the application of pressure.

The law will cause a major revision of the regulations of the M.I.T. Off Campus Housing Bureau, which operates a service listing available apartments and rooming houses for Tech students, Frederic G. Fassett, Jr., Dean of Residence, said yesterday.

In the future, the Tech agency will refuse to list the owner of any apartment building which falls within the scope of the ruling, if he insists on maintaining discrimination in the choosing of tenants.

Since real estate companies "only reflect the will of the landlords and are dependent on them for commissions, these agencies cannot afford to take as firm a stand as voluntary non-profit groups can, Walter K. Winchester, Assistant Executive vice-President of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, pointed out.