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 You also be protected under additional laws if you live in federal housing and you believe you have been a victim of discrimination. Whether youre already working with a law firm on this type of case, or youre in the beginning stages of the process, you may be looking for ways to receive money as quickly as possible. 29, The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) announced in a court filing that it had reached a settlement with Redfin to resolve its fair housing lawsuit against the real estate giant. 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. The amended complaint, which was filed on October 8, 2021, alleged that defendants Perry Homes Inc., Robert Whittington and Allyson Whittington discriminated on the basis of disability in violation of the Fair Housing Act by implementing a policy of excluding emotional support animals from rental properties they owned or operated in Cranberry, Zelienople, and Harmony, Pennsylvania. The settlement guarantees that Washington . The complaint alleges that the defendants discriminated on the basis of disability in violation of the Fair Housing Act (FHA) by refusing to allow complainants, who received their SSI and SSDI payments around the third of every month, to pay their rent by the fifth of the month. and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A, Shockoe Valley View Apartments Press Release Settlement Agreement Rudeen Development Press Release Settlement Agreement, NFHA v. 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. If you are using a screen reader and are having problems using this website, please call. The consent order requires the defendants to pay two former tenants, Alison and Jesse Noce, the sum of $12,000, and a current tenant, Sarah Jamison, $3000. 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. PrimeLending incentivized increasing overages (higher interest rates) by providing higher compensation for loan officers. This was one of the first cases in the country to challenge overly broad bans on renting to people with criminal records as discriminatory under the FHA. 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. On September 29, 2022, the court approved the entry of, On September 14, 2022, the court entered a, On August 31, 2021, the court approved the entry of a, On January 9, 2023, the United States filed a, On December 27, 2022, the court entered a, On December 13, 2022, the court entered a, On October 6, 2022, the United States filed a, On September 30, 2022, the United States filed a, On September 12, 2022, the Division filed a, On July 8, 2022, the Court denied the Defendants motion to dismiss in, On June 26, 2022, the court approved the parties settlement agreement and entered a, On February 28, 2022, the court entered a, On February 14, 2022, the Department filed a, On December 29, 2021, the court entered a, On December 21, 2021, the United States filed an, On September 7, 2021, the court entered a, On August 19, 2021, after a three-day jury trial on damages, the jury returned a, On January 23, 2023, the United States Attorneys office filed an election, On September 22, 2022 the United States filed a, On September 9, 2022, the United States filed a, On May 13, 2022, the United States filed a, On December 17, 2021, the court entered a, On December 13, 2021, the court entered a, On September 30, 2021, the court entered a, On August 11, 2021, the United States filed a, On December 19, 2022, the court entered a, On November 23, 2022, the United States filed a, On November 21, 2022, the United States Attorneys Office filed a, On November 14, 2022, after a four-day jury trial, the jury returned a, On November 4, 2022, the United States Attorneys Office filed a, On August 29, 2022, the United States filed an election, On June 6, 2022, the United States Attorneys Office filed an election, Sentinel Real Estate Corp., et al. Report Housing Discrimination lorem ipsum placeholder file a report. The materials contained on this website are for information and education purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. There is normally a deadline by which you must respond, or the plaintiffs attorney may be able to enter a request for a default judgment against you. Give applicants a copy of your written tenant selection plan. If an applicant does not meet these requirements, thats one thing. USClaims is making your Litigation Funding Simplified. Rental and Sales Discrimination based on Race, Color, National Origin, Familial Status and Religion: On September 15, 2021, the court entered a consent order in United States v. Hideaway Village Community Management Association, et al. This case settled in February 2018. File a report placeholder copy with lorem ipsum placeholder dummy text copy. Housing Opportunities Project for Excellence, Inc. Housing Research and Advocacy Center dba Fair Housing Center for Rights and Research, Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council, Toledo Fair Housing Center, d/b/a The Fair Housing Center. The Department of Justice found that PrimeLending regularly set higher loan prices for African American borrowers. You cant sell our material separately or syndicate it. This inexcusable behavior is prohibited under the Fair Housing Act, and you may be able to pursue monetary compensation in a fair housing lawsuit. Report Housing Discrimination lorem ipsum placeholder file a report. Landmark $1,187,500 Settlement Announced in - Fair Housing Project This lawsuit, brought under the Fair Housing Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504, and state law, challenged the Dallas Housing Authority's cancellation of project-based housing subsidies that would have permitted adults with disabilities to live in integrated homes in the community. 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. Limit personal contact with plaintiffs as much as practicable. We won't share your email address and you can unsubscribe at any time. Train your staff on source of income laws, if you are in a source of income jurisdiction. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Tex.). The work that provided the basis for this publication was supported by funding under a grant (FEOI210033) with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Contact the Webmaster to submit comments. For Immediate Release February 23, 2018 Contact: Shanti Abedin | (202) 898-1661 | sabedin@nationalfairhousing.org National Fair Housing Alliance Settles Disparate Impact Lawsuit with Travelers Indemnity Company Washington, D.C. - The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) announced today that it has settled a lawsuit with Travelers Indemnity Company. An official website of the United States government. Your attorney can help determine whether a certain situation qualifies as discrimination and if so, he or she may be willing to represent you in a fair housing lawsuit. $7.1M fair housing lawsuit settlement reached with company - MSN all v. HUD and Paul Rainwater, Executive Director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority. vs. Christie Thompson was an intern at ProPublica. 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. Mo.). Other times, you may even be questioning it yourself, without knowing with absolute certainty. 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. Recent Accomplishments Of The Housing And Civil Enforcement Section We use MailChimp as our e-mail automation platform. NFHA said it will invest the vast majority of the settlement directly back into the communities that were harmed. 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. Get our investigations delivered to your inbox with the Big Story newsletter. The ACLU, along with the National Consumer Law Center and the law firm of Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein, filed a lawsuit in October against Morgan Stanley claiming the financial services firm encouraged lenders to push high-risk mortgage loans on African-American borrowers. Take photos if necessary. Put your leasing/renting criteria in writing. WASHINGTON, DC Today, the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) and 20 fair housing organizations throughout the country reached a landmark $53 million agreement with Fannie Mae (formally known as the Federal National Mortgage Association). In addition to damages, the Defendants must comply with the Fair Housing Act, adopt a reasonable accommodation policy, publicize the policy in applications, leases, tenant renewal and the rental office, provide training for its employees, and comply with other equitable terms. This nationwide homeownership initiative is led by the National Fair Housing Alliance. 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. What property managers should know. United States v. C&F Mortgage Corporation. The grants will also include innovative programs and partnerships to promote fair housing. Facebook is sued by HUD for housing discrimination - The Washington Post NFHA Reaches Historic Settlement with Fannie Mae - NFHA While there are certainly more subtle ways that people may find themselves victims of discrimination when it comes to housing, in other situations, there may be no question about whats going on. The original complaint was filed on July 23, 2021. Website by Tomatillo Design, Shut Out of Housing: Legal Protections for Domestic Violence Survivors, Religious Discrimination under the Fair Housing Act. On January 3, 2023, the court entered a consent order in United States v. Perry Homes, Inc. (W.D. Train your staff on what steering is, and how to avoid it. Fair Housing Act Cases | HUD.gov / U.S. Department of Housing and Urban On October 25, 2021, HUD announced a Conciliation Agreement/Voluntary Compliance Agreement with the owners and management agents of a HUD-subsidized apartment community in Phoenix, Arizona, resolving allegations that they violated the Fair Housing Act and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when they failed to provide adequate language services for a resident with limited English proficiency (LEP). Attempt to justify your actions to housing investigators, except through your attorney. 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. But thats the last thing you should do. Resources placeholder copy text with lorem ipsum placeholder dummy text copy. The jury also found that the United States had not proven that Defendant unlawfully denied the accommodation requested by a unit owner who had filed a HUD complaint and intervened as a plaintiff. With similar cases pending against private lenders like Bank of America and Deutsche Bank, this recognition has significant meaning. (To inquire about syndication or licensing opportunities, contact. The agents steered the white home seekers away from interracial neighborhoods in Jackson, which is majority African American, and into majority white areas. Black and Hispanic homeowners also were encouraged to take on riskier subprime loans. Join our blog newsletter to stay up to date on property management industry insights. The settlement will help rebuild and strengthen communities of color in 39 metropolitan areas. Nobody should ever be discriminated against when it comes to finding a home, but alas, this does happen. Fair Housing Justice Center on LinkedIn: "Apparently, persons with 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. 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. Elm York of East Haven, NY; Madison York Assisted Living Community of Flushing, NY; Madison York Rego Park in Rego Park, NY; and Village Housing Development Fund of New York, NY, (also known as VillageCare) reached a settlement subject to court approval with the Fair Housing Justice Center, a Queens, NY-based nonprofit civil rights organization. Conversely, the African American testers who inquired about [], TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, ET AL. The Department of Justice (DOJ) and Ashland Housing Authority (AHA) settled a Fair Housing Act (FHA) discrimination lawsuit on Tuesday. 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. If youre already a member, login to access this page. Mich.). Make sure your errors and omissions insurance is paid up. 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. Heres an overview of key cases from the foreclosure crisis. The complaint, which was filed on April 5, alleged that Perry Homes, the owner of a multifamily rental property in Cranberry, Pennsylvania, discriminated on the basis of disability in violation of the Fair Housing Act by refusing to grant requests for reasonable accommodations made by two different tenant households who sought permission to keep an assistance animal in their apartments.