Cases and Settlements

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Late last month, HUD announced that it has approved settlement agreements to resolve allegations that the owners and managers of a Wyoming mobile home park unlawfully denied reasonable modification requests by two families. According to HUD, the community’s Michigan-based owner is the largest mobile home park owner/manager in the nation, controlling more than 60,000 rental lots in 28 states.

HUD recently announced that it has approved an agreement between the owners and managers of a Las Vegas mobile home park and a family to settle allegations that they refused to allow an elderly woman’s son and his pregnant wife to live at the property after their child was born. Under the agreement, the owner and managers agreed to pay a $15,000 settlement to the elderly woman.

The Justice Department recently announced that the developers of six multifamily housing complexes in southern Mississippi have agreed to pay $350,000 to settle claims that they violated the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act by building apartment complexes that were inaccessible to persons with disabilities.

HUD recently announced a $70,000 settlement in a case alleging discrimination based on familial status and disability at a Colorado community. The settlement resolves HUD complaints filed by a fair housing group and a Denver-area family with children, accusing the community’s owners and property manager of having a “no kids” policy and limiting housing options for persons with disabilities.

The Justice Department recently filed a statement of interest in a lawsuit challenging the use of criminal background checks at a New York community. In its brief, the Justice Department argued that the Fair Housing Act (FHA) requires that landlords who consider criminal records in evaluating prospective tenants do not use overly broad generalizations that disproportionately disqualify people based on a legally protected characteristic, such as race or national origin.

Last week, HUD announced settlements in fair housing cases alleging disability discrimination at rental housing communities in Massachusetts and Nevada. In a separate case, HUD filed similar charges against landlords in Florida.

The Justice Department recently announced that the Bossier City, La., Housing Authority (BCHA) has agreed to pay $120,000 and adopt new policies to settle a lawsuit alleging discrimination based on race and disability under fair housing law.

The owners and managers of four multifamily apartment complexes in Utah recently agreed to pay $45,000 to settle a fair housing case alleging discrimination against residents with disabilities who wanted to live with their assistance animals.

HUD recently charged the owner of a Massachusetts community with housing discrimination for refusing to rent an apartment to a couple with children because the unit was located on the third floor. The charge will be heard by an administrative law judge unless either party elects to take it to court.

HUD filed the charge on behalf of a couple who allegedly were denied the opportunity to rent the third-floor unit because they have a 3-year-old son. The couple was al...

The owners and operators of seven Michigan communities recently agreed to settle a lawsuit alleging that they discriminated against families with children by prohibiting them from renting one-bedroom units. Under the settlement, the communities agreed to pay $20,000 into a settlement fund, along with a $5,000 civil penalty, and to eliminate the alleged restrictions.