Cases and Settlements

Montana Property Manager Charged with Retaliation

February 5, 2024    

HUD recently charged a Montana landlord and property manager for retaliating against a tenant for exercising her fair housing rights. The retaliatory behavior included coercion, intimidation, threats, or interference in violation of Section 818 of the Fair Housing Act. The Fair Housing Act...

Can Landlords Be Held Responsible for Broker’s Source of Income Discrimination Against Prospects?

January 25, 2024    

In cities and states where source of income is protected under local fair housing laws, the answer is yes.

High-End Real Estate Brokers Sued for Source of Income Discrimination

October 4, 2023    

In New York City, a woman with a Section 8 voucher recently sued real estate firm Douglas Elliman and 35 of its agents “for failing to help her find low incoming housing.” The lawsuit, filed in federal court, claims she sent emails to the agents asking for help finding Section 8...

Housing Advocacy Group Can Sue NY Landlords for Source of Income Discrimination

July 5, 2023    

A nonprofit housing group sued real estate agents, brokerage firms, property management companies, and landlords, claiming intentional and willful source of income discrimination in violation of New York City and New York State Human Rights Laws.

After using testers to investigate, the...

HUD Announces $3M Settlement in Family Discrimination Complaint

May 1, 2023    

HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) recently announced a...

Landlords Are Liable for Discrimination of Their Staff

January 3, 2023    

There are two basic ways you, as a landlord, can be liable for housing discrimination:

  • You commit discrimination personally; and/or
  • Your agents commit discrimination in the course of carrying out their employment duties or otherwise pursuing your interests....

HUD: Landlord Retaliated Against Tenants Who Complained of Harassment

December 5, 2022    

HUD has accused an Oklahoma landlord and its property manager of discriminating against tenants by failing to adequately respond to known serious racial harassment and by retaliating by trying to terminate their tenancy.

D.C. Doles Out Landmark $10M Penalty for Voucher Discrimination

October 31, 2022    

Washington, D.C., Attorney General Karl Racine recently announced a settlement requiring three real estate firms and its executives to pay a landmark $10 million in penalties for illegally discriminating against renters in the District who use Section 8 housing vouchers and other forms of...

Group Claims Landlord's LEP Policy Discriminated Against Applicants

September 6, 2022    

A not-for-profit group advocating against housing discrimination sued a New York landlord for violations of the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL) based on refusal to rent to a prospective tenant with limited English proficiency (LEP). The group claimed that...

Judge: NY Landlord's 'Reprehensible' Discrimination Merits Maximum Penalty

August 9, 2022    

HUD recently announced that an Administrative Law Judge found that a Long Island landlord violated the Fair Housing Act when he refused to rent to a mother and her daughter because of the daughter’s cerebral palsy. The judge ordered the owner to pay $50,530 in damages to the family and a $...

Florida RV Park Charged with Discriminating Against Transgender Tenant

July 26, 2022    

HUD recently announced that it’s charging the owner and manager of a Florida RV park with discriminating against a former tenant because of her gender identity. The charge alleges that the owner violated the Fair Housing Act when he gave the tenant a letter stating that he was aware she...

California RE Firm Settles with Interracial Couple Claiming Race, Disability Discrimination

July 5, 2022    

HUD recently announced that it has entered into a Conciliation Agreement with California property owners, a property management company, and a property manager, resolving allegations that they discriminated against an interracial married couple on the basis of race and disability. A former...