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Last month, the Justice Department announced a $20,000 consent decree that resolves a lawsuit alleging that a Utah condominium association and its management company violated federal fair housing law by refusing to grant a resident’s request for a reasonable accommodation.
The U.S. Supreme Court will not review a controversial fair housing case after all. The case, highlighted in the January 2012 Fair Housing Coach, centered on disparate impact claims under the Fair Housing Act (FHA). While everyone agrees that the FHA bans intentional discrimination, the issue was whether the FHA also bans policies, which are not intentionally discriminatory, but have a disparate impact—that is, an unfair negative effect—on racial minorities or other protected classes.
A company that owns and operates multifamily rental housing in Evanston, Ill., has backed away from plans to limit occupancy in one of its buildings to only Northwestern University students, according to the Interfaith Housing Center of the Northern Suburbs, an advocacy group that filed a federal fair housing case protesting the policy.
A resident in a senior living community had multiple sclerosis and used an electric wheelchair. The community claimed that, throughout her tenancy, she routinely operated the wheelchair at excessive speeds and without adequate control. Allegedly, she damaged the walls and front door to her unit and hurt two people with her electric wheelchair—once by driving over a staff member’s foot and then running into a dining room table, causing hot coffee to spill on another resident.
Three Southern California communities recently resolved allegations that they violated the rights of military families under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), according to a joint statement by the United States Attorney’s Office and the Camp Pendleton Joint Legal Assistance Office.
Last month, the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center (GNOFHAC) filed suit against a New Orleans landlord for discrimination on the basis of sex, including severe, pervasive, and unwelcome sexual harassment; battery; and assault.
Under the federal Fair Housing Act, it’s unlawful to deny a person housing or offer them different terms, conditions, or privileges because of sex. It’s also illegal to interfere with a tenant’s enjoyment of the premises due to coercion, intimidation, harassment, threats, or interference.
Earlier this month, a state court judge ruled that a Georgia rental property owner and a rental agent violated state fair housing law by refusing to rent to an interracial couple, according to an announcement by Attorney General Sam Olens.
In early December, the owners, developers, architect, and civil engineers of a 276-unit rental community in Louisville, Ky., settled a lawsuit in which those involved in the design and construction of the complex were accused of discriminating against people with disabilities, according to the Justice Department.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) recently filed a federal fair housing complaint, alleging that a Florida apartment complex and property management company refused to rent to a survivor of domestic violence. The complaint, filed with HUD, accuses the community of housing discrimination based on sex and familial status.
Earlier this month, the owner, management company, and rental agent of a 444-unit community in Glenville, N.Y., agreed to pay a $22,500 penalty to resolve allegations of discrimination against families with children and African Americans, according to an announcement by New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman.
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