Colorado Community Settles Allegations of Discrimination Against Families with Children

The owners and manager of a Colorado community recently agreed to pay $75,000 to settle a fair housing case alleging discrimination against families with children, according to an announcement by the Justice Department. Based on testing conducted by a local fair housing organization, the complaint alleged that the property manager told prospects that families with children were generally placed in units in the rear building and did not offer prospects with children the opportunity to consider available units in the front building.

Under the settlement, the owners and managers agreed to pay $25,000 into settlement fund for alleged victims; $45,000 to the fair housing organization; and $5,000 as a civil penalty. The settlement also requires the community to implement a nondiscrimination policy, to establish new nondiscriminatory application and rental procedures, and to comply with training and reporting requirements.

“Steering families with children to a certain part of an apartment complex limits their housing choices, perpetuates housing segregation, and clearly violates federal law,” Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, said in a statement. “The Justice Department will continue its vigorous enforcement of the Fair Housing Act to ensure equal access to housing for all families.”

For a review of fair housing rules protecting children and their families from housing discrimination, see “Play by the Rules When It Comes to Kids and Their Families,” available to subscribers here.