Cases and Settlements

High Court to Rule on Same-Sex Marriage

January 30, 2015    

An update to the February issue of Fair Housing Coach: As expected, the Supreme Court has agreed to rule on same-sex marriage.

All across the country, there has been an abrupt shift in the laws on same-sex marriage. Last year at this time, same-sex marriage was permitted in only...

Brooklyn Co-op Charged with Discriminating Against Disabled Veteran

January 30, 2015    

HUD recently charged a Coney Island cooperative community with discrimination against a veteran with a psychiatric disability for refusing to let him keep an emotional support animal.

HUD charged the 1,144-unit community, along with the president of its board of directors, with wrongfully...

N.C. Housing Agency and Employees Sued for Sexual Harassment

December 19, 2014    

The Justice Department recently sued a public housing agency that administers the Section 8 voucher program in North Carolina, along with two of its employees, for sexual harassment in violation of the Fair Housing Act.

Must You Permit Medical Marijuana Use as Reasonable Accommodation?

December 19, 2014    

In early December, the federal court in Michigan ruled a federally assisted housing community was not required to allow use of medical marijuana as a reasonable accommodation under fair housing law.

In early 2013, the resident signed a lease for a townhome in a project-based, Section 8,...

HUD: Puerto Rico Association Discriminated Against Resident with Disabilities

December 19, 2014    

HUD recently ordered a condominium association in Puerto Rico to pay $20,000 in damages plus a $16,000 civil penalty for refusing to allow a resident with disabilities to keep his emotional support animal.

Federal Judge Rejects HUD's Disparate Impact Rule

November 20, 2014    

On Nov. 3, the U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Columbia filed an opinion vacating HUD's final rule on Implementation of the Fair Housing Act’s Discriminatory Effects Standard, commonly referred to as the Disparate Impact Rule. HUD had recently finalized regulations that...

HUD Cracks Down on Discrimination Against Residents with Disabilities

November 20, 2014    

HUD recently announced settlements with two communities—and charges against two others—for alleged discrimination against residents with disabilities. The announcement follows the release of HUD’s latest fair housing report, which shows that more than half of the discrimination...

DOJ: Manager, Maintenance Worker Sexually Harassed Residents

November 20, 2014    

Earlier this month, the Justice Department sued a West Virginia community, alleging that a maintenance worker and a manager sexually harassed female residents, and that the community’s site manager failed to take appropriate steps when residents complained about the harassment.

Illinois Community to Pay $255K to Settle Disability Discrimination Claims

November 20, 2014    

The owner and operator of a 500-unit HUD-subsidized apartment complex in Illinois recently agreed to pay $255,000 to settle allegations of disability discrimination and retaliation, according to a recent announcement by HUD.

HUD: Kids Forced to Clean Toilets for Playing Outside

October 30, 2014    

HUD recently announced action in two fair housing cases against communities for allegedly enforcing overly restrictive rules on children playing outside. In one case, HUD claimed that children were forced to clean the manager’s office toilet when they were found outside unaccompanied by an...

Disparate Impact Back on Supreme Court Docket

October 30, 2014    

For the third time in recent years, the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to consider whether the Fair Housing Act bans discrimination based on disparate impact—that is, practices that have a discriminatory effect on members of a protected class, even if there’s no intentional...

Community Pays $550,000 to Settle Sexual Harassment Lawsuit

September 24, 2014    

The owners and operators of a Michigan community recently agreed to pay $550,000 and to terminate its property manager to settle a lawsuit for sexual harassment in violation of fair housing law.

The Justice Department filed the complaint, accusing the former manager of sexually harassing...