Neb.) If you are a resident of the European Union, DO NOT USE THIS SITE. Take discrimination and equal housing obligations seriously, especially if youre in a leadership position. If you are justified under the law, youll still be justified when your attorney makes your points for you. When Black families and other families of color have limited access to wealth-building through homeownership, this means they also have limited access to educational opportunities, quality health care, and more.. We have official accounts for ProPublica on. He lives in Fort Lauderdale, FL with his cat, Sasha, and an unknown number of musical instruments. As one of the most important fair housing lawsuits of the past decade, Thompson sought to eradicate the legacy of racially segregated public housing in Baltimore, Maryland, the hometown of Thurgood Marshall, LDF's first Director-Counsel. Fair Housing Project P.O. Such interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Government. As the trade association for over 170 fair housing and justice-centered organizations throughout the U.S. and its territories, NFHA works to dismantle longstanding barriers to equity and build diverse, inclusive, well-resourced communities. On January 3, 2023, the court entered a consent order in United States v. Perry Homes, Inc. (W.D. ), Adam Community Center v. City of Troy (E.D. Tex.). Landlords often take various factors into consideration when making decisions regarding rental applications, such as requiring certain income minimums (to ensure monthly rent can be paid), good credit, and no criminal background. United States v. C&F Mortgage Corporation. Additional protection may also be available in other situations, too. US Bank NFHA et al. Attempt to justify your actions to housing investigators, except through your attorney. The following is a list of the fair housing organizations that joined NFHA as plaintiffs in this case against Fannie Mae: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grants supported the investigation into potential disparities in the maintenance and marketing of REO properties. Por qu investigamos la muerte de Jefferson? The relief will fulfill a central purpose of the Fair Housing Act: ensuring equitable treatment of neighborhoods regardless of their racial makeup. The settlement will allow the fair housing organizations who witnessed the effect of neglect and inaction on people and communities of color to bring needed resources to those neighborhoods and ensure that every neighborhood is a place of opportunity., Discrimination has led to diminished value of homes in Black neighborhoods and other communities of color. Because a familys home is often its greatest asset, unfair practices drive growth of the racial wealth gap, said William Tisdale, President and CEO of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council. The jury found that the Defendant had engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination against persons with disabilities and had denied rights protected by the Fair Housing Act to a group of such persons. vs. Cyprexx Services NFHA et al. In, According to the CDC there are 61 million Americans with disabilities. The Justice Department announced today that it has secured an agreement to resolve a lawsuit alleging that landlord Darrell Jones of Muskegon, Michigan, violated the Fair Housing Act by sexually harassing female tenants. The materials contained on this website are for information and education purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. If you later have to evict because of these issues, and your former tenants accuse you of unlawful discrimination, youll be glad you kept these records. By contacting and submitting my information to USClaims, I consent and agree to the. On January 23, 2023, the United States Attorneys office filed an election complaint in United States v. Vernon Morgan(D. Colo.). ), a case brought under the Fair Housing Act (FHA). No doubt youve made sure your, Now that New Years Eve has come and gone, we find ourselves in a whole new decade that presents property managers with an ever-growing amount. The jury also found that the Defendant had violated the Fair Housing Act rights of three persons a married couple who owned a unit and another woman who was also a unit owner - whose requests for accommodations for assistance animals were denied or unreasonably delayed. With the disparate impact standard, the Department of Justice was able to argue that the disproportionate harm to communities of color put predatory lenders in violation of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. Here are a few dos and donts that may ease the process: Jason is a freelance writer and editor, as well as an avid fiddler. Forward all correspondence with the complainants to your attorney. As we reported last week, the DOJ reached a $335 million settlement, the US largest fair lending settlement on record, using the disparate impact standard. (E.D. Give applicants a copy of your written tenant selection plan. On February 22, 2023, the United States filed an election complaint in United States v. MA Partners 2, et al. Last week, the Obama administration formalized the legal standard it has used to enforce fair housing laws and hold banks accountable for discriminating against minorities. This inexcusable behavior is prohibited under the Fair Housing Act, and you may be able to pursue monetary compensation in a fair housing lawsuit. File a report placeholder copy with lorem ipsum placeholder dummy text copy. (1) The complaints and settlement documents for the cases discussed in the text, as well as other cases handled by the Housing Section, can be found on the Housing Sections website at www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/caselist.php. The Road Home program was supposed to provide storm victims with funding to rebuild their homes, but based their compensation on their houses original value rather than the cost of damage. Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons (RLUIPA): On February 25, 2022, the court entered a consent order in United States v. Village of Walthill, Nebraska (D. The plaintiffs collected more than 49,000 photographs revealing poorly maintained properties in Black and Latino communities, particularly as compared to properties in predominantly White neighborhoods. Read the full Press Release and Agreement here. Houses in black neighborhoods that were identical to houses in white neighborhoods were given far less money to rebuild. The complaint alleges that the defendant discriminated on the basis of sex in violation of the Fair Housing Act (FHA) by sexually harassing the complainant when she rented housing in a building the he owned and managed and by retaliating against her by ordering her to move out after she objected to his advances. For example, if their rental application was turned down for a questionable or unclear reason, its possible that the applicant was discriminated against. Media Contact: Lester Davis | 202-415-8653 | ldavis@skdknick.com. You cant state or imply that donations to your organization support ProPublicas work. Shirlee Nolen and Nolen Properties, LLC, are also named as defendants because they co-own or co-owned properties where harassment occurred at the relevant times. In the case involving SunTrust, the story has been updated to include loan officers as well as brokers. The complaint, which was filed on February 2, 2023, alleged that the owners and managers of an apartment building in Las Vegas, Nevada violated the Act by refusing to grant . The plaintiffs contend that Morgan Stanley encouraged now-defunct New Century Financial Corporation to sell predatory loans, which targeted predominantly black communities. Specifically, the complaint alleged that the Defendants failed to grant a reasonable accommodation to its breed restriction policy to allow a woman with PTSD to visit her mother at the mobile home community with her assistance animal and that the Defendants interfered with the Complainants fair housing rights by banning the daughter and evicting the mother from the community. The case was referred to the Department after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) received a complaint, conducted an investigation, and issued a charge of discrimination. v. INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES PROJECT, INC., ET AL. The case was referred to the Division after the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) received the complaint, conducted an investigation, and issued a charge of discrimination. On June 25, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision written by Justice Kennedy, upheld the disparate impact doctrine under the Fair Housing Act. Read the press release and agreement here. Put your leasing/renting criteria in writing. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS For example, those with certain disabilities who are discriminated against may also be protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The settlement resolves allegations that the property owners and manager discriminated on the basis of sex and race when they failed to address the couples complaints of neighbor harassment, which included physical intimidation and disparaging statements being made about the couples race and sexual orientation. An individuals home should always be their safe haven. Rental and Sales Discrimination based on Disability: On January 3, 2023, the court entered a consent order in United States v. Perry Homes, Inc. (W.D. However, if you do feel like something is not quite right, it may be worth taking the next step. It could happen to even the most careful landlord or any property manager: everythings going along just fine, and then, BOOM, you receive a summons to court as a result of a housing discrimination-related lawsuit or enforcement action. The Louis lawsuit was filed on behalf of two plaintiffs, Mary Louis and Monica Douglas, Black rental applicants who use housing vouchers to pay part of their rent. Just enter your email below and we'll keep you posted when we have new articles. A landlords tenant screening policies must evaluate each applicant as an individual; policies that automatically reject individuals with a criminal history likely violate the FHA. Promptly alert your errors and omissions insurance or landlords insurance carrier at the first sign of trouble. The court also issued a memorandum opinion explaining its rulings. (D. The Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana and fair housing organizations in six different states announced a settlement has been reached in a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Clover Group. Other times, you may even be questioning it yourself, without knowing with absolute certainty. The jury found that the Defendant had engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination against persons with disabilities and had denied rights protected by the Fair Housing Act to a group of such persons. Several cases we have filed or resolved recently exemplify our efforts to ensure the availability of the housing opportunities guaranteed by the Fair Housing Act. vs. Please contact. Copyright 2023 Fair Housing Project, a project of Legal Aid North Carolina224 South Dawson Street, Raleigh, NC 27601 1-855-797-3247 info@fairhousingnc.org A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. To view this content you must be a paying member. The organizations were also represented by Morgan Williams, NFHAs General Counsel, and Julia Howard-Gibbon, Supervising Attorney of Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California. Additional restrictions may apply. Mass. Mo.). On February 23, 2023, the United States filed a pattern or practice complaint in United States v. Joel Nolen et at. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Such interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Government. United Road Towing, Inc. d/b/a UR Vehicle Management Solutions and Rod Robertson Enterprises, Inc. are also named as defendants in the case. Visit Website. In its Statement of Interest, the United States sets out the appropriate standard for pleading disparate impact claims under the FHA and clarifies that the FHAs text and caselaw support the FHAs application to companies providing residential screening services.Press Release (1/9/2023). The case was brought by a resident who was told that she could no longer provide childcare in her unit for her grandchildren due to the policy. In some cases, its extremely obvious and you have enough evidence to prove it. Discrimination Isn't Always Obvious - Example #1: The plaintiffs allege that SafeRent scores result in an unlawful disparate impact against Black and Hispanic rental applicants because the underlying algorithm relies on certain factors that disproportionately disadvantage Black and Hispanic applicants, such as credit history and non-tenancy related debts, while failing to consider one highly-relevant factor, that the use of housing vouchers funded by HUD makes such tenants more likely to pay their rents. If you take negative action of any kind against a tenant who filed a housing discrimination complaint against you, youll open yourself up to more fines and penalties. If you have a website, make it available online. Report Housing Discrimination lorem ipsum placeholder file a report. You also be protected under additional laws if you live in federal housing and you believe you have been a victim of discrimination. Safeguard Properties NFHA et al. We won't share your email address and you can unsubscribe at any time. The case was referred to the Division after the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) received two complaints from unit owners, completed an investigation on the first complaint, and issued a charge of discrimination. Mich.), the private companion case to United States v. City of Troy, Michigan (E.D. As part of HUD's Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP), FHEO may refer a fair housing complaint to a state or local government agency for investigation. Fannie Mae has implemented practices that will help prevent harmful treatment of communities of color in the future, including increasing its oversight of maintenance of properties it owns, prioritizing owner-occupants rather than investors as purchasers of REOs, and ensuring that it complies with fair housing laws by providing fair housing training to its employees and vendors. Plaintiffs applied for rental housing but allege they were denied due to their SafeRent Score, a score derived from Defendant SafeRents algorithm-based screening software. On November 21, 2022, the United States Attorneys Office filed an election complaint in United States v. Hannah, et al. The rest of the staff will follow suit. Cases prior to 2018 are available on the old case list page. Just enter your email below and we'll keep you posted when we have new articles. TRAVELERS This federal lawsuit alleged race, sex and source of income discrimination against Travelers Indemnity Company and Travelers Casualty Insurance Company of America (Travelers) for failing to provide habitational insurance to apartment owners who rent to tenants who participate in the Housing Choice Voucher program. The complaint, which was filed on February 2, 2023, alleged that the owners and managers of an apartment building in Las Vegas, Nevada violated the Act by refusing to grant a reasonable accommodation to a resident with an assistance animal (a pit bull), and by threatening to enforce the terms of the lease if the dog was present on the property. The complaint alleges that defendant Joel Nolen discriminated on the basis of sex in violation of the Fair Housing Act (FHA) because he sexually harassed multiple female tenants since at least 2011. We do not generally permit translation of our stories into another language. According to lending data, African-American customers in the Chicago area paid on average $2,937 more in broker feesthan similarly situated white customers. Some say HUDs new guideline could be the deciding factor in whether the standard will withstand the Supreme Courts scrutiny. Brokers at the countrys largest mortgage lender were found to have raised interest rates and broker fees for more than 30,000 minority customers. The consent order requires the Village to grant Light of the World Gospel Ministries a special use permit to construct a new multi-use building including a church on property it had purchased in a commercial district of the Village. (W.D. On Apr. The settlement requires, in part, the AHA to "deposit in an interest-bearing escrow account" $275,000 for the purpose of "compensating the 23 individuals identified by the United States in pretrial disclosures as aggrieved persons," according to the . Copyright 2023 Fair Housing Project, a project of Legal Aid North Carolina224 South Dawson Street, Raleigh, NC 27601 1-855-797-3247 info@fairhousingnc.org vs. Facebook, in its settlement with fair housing and other civil rights groups last week, said it would withhold a wide array of detailed demographic information including gender, age and Zip . More information about the Civil Rights Division and the civil rights laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. ), Group Home on Gibson Island LLC v. Gibson Island Corporation (D. With similar cases pending against private lenders like Bank of America and Deutsche Bank, this recognition has significant meaning. The complaint, filed on September 29, 2020, alleged that Defendants Las Vegas Jaycees Senior Citizens Mobile Home Community, Newport Pacific Capital Company, and Sherry Polley-Tompkins discriminated against the Complainants on the basis of disability. Determining whether you have been discriminated against when it comes to buying or renting housing is not always easy. NFHA is a consortium of more than 200 private, nonprofit fair housing organizations and state and local civil rights agencies from throughout the United States. (E.D. They were charged with violating both the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act in charging more than 20,000 black and Hispanic customers with higher interest rates and fees between 2005 and 2009. On October 8, 2021, HUD announced a Conciliation Agreement/Voluntary Compliance Agreement with the owners of a HUD-subsidized community in Fairhope, Alabama, resolving allegations that the owners policy prohibiting visitors under the age of 12 due to COVID-19 was discriminatory. The consent order requires the defendants to pay SWPLS $15,000 in damages, to comply with the Fair Housing Act, adopt a reasonable accommodation policy, publicize the policy in applications, leases, tenant renewals, and in its rental office, provide training for its employees, and comply with other equitable terms. The settlement guarantees that Washington . NFHA is a consortium of more than 200 private, nonprofit fair housing organizations and state and local civil rights agencies from throughout the United States. Christie Thompson was an intern at ProPublica. While we endeavor to ensure that the electronic copies of court documents available on this site are complete and accurate (apart from formatting changes necessitated by the conversion to HTML or PDF format), errors or omissions may occur. *By clicking SUBMIT, I consent to the Privacy Policy and the Terms of Use, including mandatory arbitration. Purpose, Process, and Monitoring Framework (PPM), Discrimination Against the Deaf in Senior Living Facilities, 2 and 2.5 times more likely to be foreclosed, Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California, Fair Housing Center of the Greater Palm Beaches, Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia. The case was referred to the Division after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) received a complaint, conducted an investigation, and issued a charge of discrimination. Contact the Webmaster to submit comments. We won't share your email address and you can unsubscribe at any time. In a press release issued last week, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) approved a settlement agreement concluding a disability housing discrimination complaint against the owners and property managers at a community in Pennsylvania. Morgan Stanley filed a motion to dismiss the case at the end of December. Use this comprehensive property management maintenance checklist to get through repairs faster and more efficiently than previously possible. Nobody should ever be discriminated against when it comes to finding a home, but alas, this does happen. Voting and Election Resourceswww.vote.gov, The United States alleged in this case that the DOA discriminated on the basis of disability by failing to grant a reasonable accommodation to its no-pets policy to a HUD complainant, and alleged that DOA engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination and/or a denial of rights against a group of persons by adopting a discriminatory policy and refusing to grant reasonable accommodations to persons with disabilities who need assistance animals. The Fair Housing Project ofLegal Aid of North Carolinaworks to eliminate housing discrimination and to ensure equal housing opportunity for all people through education, outreach, public policy initiatives, advocacy and enforcement. Brockbk JV LLC, Dallas Redevelopment Equities LLC, Alden Short, Inc., and Sam Matalone are also named as defendants in the case. The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) announced a settlement agreement today to resolve a fair housing lawsuit that will expand housing opportunities for consumers in communities of color in . Boston, MA 02108, Now Available: The 2023 Property Management Industry Report, When most people think of rental scams, they picture the prospective tenant as the victim. (To inquire about syndication or licensing opportunities, contact. The plaintiffs will manage and disburse the settlement funds, providing much-needed grants, including down-payment assistance for first-generation homebuyers and renovations for homes that languished in foreclosure. Screenshot taken on November 3, 2016. In this complaint, testing revealed that agents of the Lee Garland and Rita Jensen Team of RE/MAX Alliance discriminated on the basis of race. PrimeLending incentivized increasing overages (higher interest rates) by providing higher compensation for loan officers. USClaims is making your Litigation Funding Simplified. Shut off the tenants utilities, except as specifically provided for in your jurisdictions eviction laws. v. Federal National Mortgage Association NFHA et al. The owners also retaliated against the couple for complaining about the harassment. Litigation Log - Fair Housing Center of Southeast & Mid Michigan Litigation Log It is understood that in all "settled" cases reported on this site, the defendant, unless otherwise noted, denies the allegations of discrimination made by the plaintiff, and the parties have agreed to resolve the case prior to a trial on the merits. Currently, USClaims does not conduct business with residents of the European Union/UK. The Department of Justice also brings cases where a housing discrimination complaint has been investigated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD has issued a charge of discrimination, and one of the parties to the case has "elected" to go to federal court. Read the full Press Release and Agreement here. Apply California, Central District filter, Apply Pennsylvania, Eastern District filter, Apply California, Northern District filter, Apply Mississippi, Southern District filter, Apply Pennsylvania, Western District filter, Apply Washington, Eastern District filter, Apply Washington, Western District filter, Apply Mississippi, Northern District filter, Apply North Carolina, Eastern District filter, Meet the Head of the Civil Rights Division, United States v. Joel Nolen et al. The case involved fair housing testing. The Department of Justice found that PrimeLending regularly set higher loan prices for African American borrowers. This case demonstrates that in addition to overt acts of discrimination, actions which have a disparate impact on people and communities of color must also be addressed, said Erin Kemple, Executive Director of the Connecticut Fair Housing Center. The Justice Deptartment charged C&F Mortgage with violating the FHA and ECOA by raising interest rates for black and Hispanic mortgage customers. By submitting your e-mail address, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our Privacy Policy (http://www.legalaidnc.org/privacy). Official websites use .gov The settlement will directly and immediately benefit the communities of color hit hardest by the foreclosure crisis and its aftermath.
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