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Renters in the county using federal vouchers to secure housing face a 15 percent discrimination rate from landlords and property owners, according to a report released Monday by a nonprofit civil rights organization.

The findings by the Equal Rights Center were gathered through a series of phone tests conducted by the group between March and April to 99 properties throughout the county. The properties, all of which had more than 25 units, represented 45 different ownership companies. Because no legal action was filed against the landlords, the Equal Rights Center did not release the names of the properties.

"Eleven percent of the time voucher-holding testers were just told, ‘No,' we won't rent to you,'" said Donald L. Kahl, executive director of the Equal Rights Center.

This type of discrimination is a major reason why the success rate for using vouchers in the county, while improving, still leaves many families out, Kahl said, adding, "Without question it must stop."

In 3 percent of the tests, voucher holders were refused housing because they were told that a property's quota for voucher renters was full. In 1 percent of the tests, voucher holders were allowed to rent, but had to forgo about $1,400 in incentives that nonvoucher holders received, such as application waivers and reductions in the first month's rent.

The findings were grim for many of the county's most vulnerable residents — those who are poor, minorities and disabled — that use the Housing Choice, formerly known as Section 8, vouchers to pay for about 70 percent of their housing costs, Kahl said.

The Housing Opportunities Commission is the public housing agency that administers the federal housing program for the county. Housing Choice is the largest federal housing subsidy program and regulated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The county is allotted 5,682 Housing Choice vouchers. Eligibility for the voucher program is based on income. To receive a voucher in the county, a family's gross income cannot be more than 50 percent of the area median family income, which is $90,300 a year for the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

Each year, the Housing Opportunities Commission gives out about 220 new vouchers, said Susan K. Yancy, its spokeswoman. Every several years, the commission reopens the voucher process, requires potential renters to reapply and holds a lottery for the available vouchers.

About 15,000 names are on a waiting list for the vouchers.

In the county, discriminating against voucher holders is illegal under the county's anti-discrimination law, which outlaws housing discrimination along with other areas.

While discrimination exists in the county market, tests conducted by county officials revealed less discrimination than those conducted by the nonprofit group, said James L. Stowe, the newly appointed director of the county's Office of Human Rights.

During the past fiscal year the office, which enforces the county's anti-discrimination law, conducted 40 housing discrimination tests. The tests uncovered one housing management company that discriminated against voucher-holding testers on three different occasions. The company settled with the office in May, agreeing to participate in fair-housing training and to cease and desist discrimination.

"In light of the findings of ERC, something needs to be done, specifically when dealing with ‘source of income' housing discrimination," Stowe said.

Stowe and other county officials are hosting a series of informational sessions with renters and property owners to inform both sides of the voucher process. The first session for landlords is scheduled for Jan. 22. The Housing Opportunities Commission reopens its voucher waiting list Dec. 8-14.