Take discrimination and equal housing obligations seriously, especially if youre in a leadership position. A Bank of America spokesperson saidthe DOJ reviewed loans made before Bank of America purchased Countrywide in July 2008. The rest of the staff will follow suit. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS *Funding subject to approval. C&F did not require its loan officers to document reasons for changing a customer's interest rate from the standard rate, and increased compensation for loan officers who charged higher loan prices. Thanks for signing up. La Maison Investment, LLC is also named as a defendant in the case. This case settled in February 2018. Official websites use .gov On November 21, 2022, the United States Attorneys Office filed an election complaint in United States v. Hannah, et al. The substance and findings of the work are dedicated to the public. We do not generally permit translation of our stories into another language. Read the press release and agreement here. If you share republished stories on social media, wed appreciate being tagged in your posts. The court also issued a memorandum opinion explaining its rulings. But thats the last thing you should do. The case was brought by a resident who was told that she could no longer provide childcare in her unit for her grandchildren due to the policy. For Immediate Release February 23, 2018 Contact: Shanti Abedin | (202) 898-1661 | [email protected] 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. Contact the Fair Housing Project or a private attorney if you need to speak with an attorney regarding your particular situation. Cal. Keep careful records of any problematic behaviors exhibited by all tenants. The lawsuit was originally brought against Redfin in October 2020 by NFHA and nine other fair housing organizations alleging redlining in certain ZIP codes. nearly 8 in 10 formerly incarcerated individuals, Click here to read the full Press Release. She studied journalism at Northwestern University, and has written for The Nation, The Chicago Reporter and TheAtlantic.com. Individuals can also contact the U.S. Attorney's Office Civil Rights Hotline at (855) 281-3339. Make sure your errors and omissions insurance is paid up. United Road Towing, Inc. d/b/a UR Vehicle Management Solutions and Rod Robertson Enterprises, Inc. are also named as defendants in the case. GTranslate - HUD.gov / U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Just enter your email below and we'll keep you posted when we have new articles. Christie Thompson was an intern at ProPublica. Look carefully at the summons if you receive one. Such interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Government. Facebook Settlement - NFHA In its Statement of Interest, the United States addresses the correct legal standard for the Court to apply when determining whether subjecting the home to these conditions would have afforded persons with disabilities an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling under the FHA. vs. (617) 829-9570 Apply California, Central District filter, Apply Pennsylvania, Eastern District filter, Apply California, Northern District filter, Apply Mississippi, Southern District filter, Apply Pennsylvania, Western District filter, Apply Washington, Eastern District filter, Apply Washington, Western District filter, Apply Mississippi, Northern District filter, Apply North Carolina, Eastern District filter, Meet the Head of the Civil Rights Division, United States v. Joel Nolen et al. Cali. We use MailChimp as our e-mail automation platform. However, if you do feel like something is not quite right, it may be worth taking the next step. Discrimination Isn't Always Obvious - Example #1: all v. HUD and Paul Rainwater, Executive Director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority. Investigation After a formal complaint is filed, we investigate the allegations. Last week, the Obama administration formalized the legal standard it has used to enforce fair housing laws and hold banks accountable for discriminating against minorities. As housing officials and civil rights advocates keep their eye on the high court, weve rounded up seven key disparate impact cases you should know about. Currently, USClaims does not conduct business with residents of the European Union/UK. v. Federal National Mortgage Association NFHA et al. You cant republish our material wholesale, or automatically; you need to select stories to be republished individually. Shut off the tenants utilities, except as specifically provided for in your jurisdictions eviction laws. Include: Criminal background requirements (i.e., no convictions in 3 years, no domestic violence convictions ever), Occupancy restrictions/maximum number of individuals in a unit, Solid references from last two landlords, if applicable. Click here to learn more about overly broad criminal background screening policies and the requirements of subsidized housing providers. To become a member, visit our Members page! In certain circumstances, FHEO may initiate a compliance review based on the information submitted in a complaint. Their attorneys will probably be much more experienced in defending landlords in discrimination-related lawsuits than anyone youre likely to stumble upon in the Yellow Pages. And they're relying on the, Purpose-built property accounting software, Get paid faster with our online payment platform, Managing work orders has never been easier, Easily create your 1099s and stay organized during tax season, A free property management website, hosted by Buildium, Jumpstart your portfolio growth with All Property Management, An ever-expanding ecosystem of property management apps, Free your data to operate more efficiently. The grants will also include innovative programs and partnerships to promote fair housing. An individuals home should always be their safe haven. On February 7, 2023, the court entered a consent order in this Fair Housing Act "election" case. With the disparate impact standard, the Department of Justice was able to argue that the disproportionate harm to communities of color put predatory lenders in violation of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. Official websites use .gov Houses in black neighborhoods that were identical to houses in white neighborhoods were given far less money to rebuild. Brockbk JV LLC, Dallas Redevelopment Equities LLC, Alden Short, Inc., and Sam Matalone are also named as defendants in the case. We provide our members with lorem ipsum placeholder benefits summary. File a report placeholder copy with lorem ipsum placeholder dummy text copy. The United States filed its, On September 1, 2021, the court entered a, Meet the Head of the Civil Rights Division, Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA, Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022, Rental and Sales Discrimination based on Race, Color, National Origin, Familial Status and Religion, Rental and Sales Discrimination based on Disability, Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). The settlement is one of the largest to date in cases challenging blanket ban policies that exclude tenants because of a criminal background, regardless of the nature, severity, age of the record, or any rehabilitative efforts since the conviction. He lives in Fort Lauderdale, FL with his cat, Sasha, and an unknown number of musical instruments. Keep up with our investigations by following us onFacebookandTwitter, or read more about the Fair Housing Act, andhow the government betrayed a landmark civil rights law. Website by Tomatillo Design, State of Fair Housing in North Carolina Report 2000-2020, United States Department of Justice Notice to Public, Interagency Task Force Issues New Guidance on Appraisals & Fair Housing Compliance. In this complaint, testing revealed that agents of the Lee Garland and Rita Jensen Team of RE/MAX Alliance discriminated on the basis of race. vs. Deutsche Bank NFHA et al. Md. At USClaims, we offer pre-settlement funding, which is also frequently referred to as a lawsuit advance. Date Filed: 01/31/1995. v. INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES PROJECT, INC., ET AL. This complaint wascharged by HUD. vs. Asset Management Specialists Conciliation Agreement, NFHA et al. Mass. You cant state or imply that donations to your organization support ProPublicas work. Invest time and effort into training on federal and state housing discrimination laws for you and your staff. The DOJ found that SunTrust Mortgage allowed its brokers and loan officers considerable leeway in determining a customers interest rate, resulting in discriminatory prices for minorities. Todays agreement has far-reaching implications. Morgan Stanley filed a motion to dismiss the case at the end of December. Morgan Stanley profited by bundling and selling those loans to investors, allegedly knowing borrowers were likely to default. We provide our members with lorem ipsum placeholder benefits summary. 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. Tenn.). The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) announced a settlement agreement today to resolve a fair housing lawsuit that will expand housing opportunities for consumers in communities of color in . 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. Mo. Contact the plaintiff or plaintiffs attorney yourself (in person, over the phone, or via text or email) without your attorney present. While we endeavor to ensure that the electronic copies of court documents available on this site are complete and accurate (apart from formatting changes necessitated by the conversion to HTML or PDF format), errors or omissions may occur. Pa.). Limit personal contact with plaintiffs as much as practicable. The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA)is the countrys only national civil rights organization dedicated solely to eliminating all forms of housing and lending discrimination and ensuring equal opportunities for all people. Give applicants a copy of your written tenant selection plan. Justice Department Secures Settlement in Race Discrimination Lawsuit Por qu investigamos la muerte de Jefferson? Legal Aid of North Carolina does not provide legal assistance by email. In FHA cases, the Department can obtain injunctive relief, including affirmative requirements for training and policy changes, monetary damages and, in pattern or practice cases, civil penalties. This precedent-setting opinionaffirmed both 40 years of legal jurisprudence and the decisions of [], Purpose, Process, and Monitoring Framework (PPM), Discrimination Against the Deaf in Senior Living Facilities. 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. ), United States v. Premiere Holdings, Inc. (D. Nev.), United States v. City of El Paso, Texas, et al. By contacting and submitting my information to USClaims, I consent and agree to the. (D. Put your leasing/renting criteria in writing. Under the order, the defendants will spend $950,000 and commit to injunctive relief, including: a settlement fund of $670,000 to compensate individuals harmed by the program; the payment of $100,000 in civil penalties; affirmative marketing to promote fair housing in Hesperia; partnerships with community-based organizations; notifications to (W.D. Train your staff on source of income laws, if you are in a source of income jurisdiction. Whether its renting or purchasing a home, individuals and families seeking housing have protection under the Fair Housing Act, and its crucial to understand your rights so that youll be able to easily recognize possible signs of discrimination. (N.D. Ga.): On December 30, 2021, the United States Attorneys Office entered into a, On December 28, 2021, the court entered a, On December 22, 2021, the United States filed an, On December 10, 2021, the court entered the, On December 6, 2021, the United States Attorneys office filed a Fair Housing Act (FHA) election, On August 30, 2021, the United States Attorneys Office filed an election, On June 30, 2021, the United States Attorney's Office filed a, On April 11, 2021, the United States Attorneys Office filed a Fair Housing Act (FHA) election, On February 22, 2021, the court entered a, On September 28, 2022, the Court entered a partial, On September 26, 2022, the United States filed a, On September 21, 2021, the court entered an, On July 26, 2022, a federal jury awarded $293,000 in damages against the City of Springfield, Illinois in, On December 27, 2021, the court entered a, On November 24, 2020, the United States filed a pattern or practice, On November 6, 2020, the United States entered into an, On June 4, 2020, the United States filed a, On October 19, 2022, the United States filed a, On February 1, 2018, theUnited Statesentered into a, On November 15, 2022, the United States filed a, On October 14, 2021, the United States filed a, On February 2, 2023, the United States filed a, On September 27, 2022, the parties entered into an addendum to the, On September 2, 2022, the court entered a, On April 15, 2022, the United States filed a, On October 21, 2021, the court entered a consent decree in. On January 25, 2023, the court entered a final judgment on a June 10, 2022 jury verdict in favor of the United States in United States v. Dorchester Owners Association ("DOA") (E.D. In the case, the plaintiffs alleged that Fannie Mae maintained and marketed its foreclosed homes in predominantly White neighborhoods while allowing homes in predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods to fall into disrepair and that this differential treatment exacerbated the damage caused by the 2008 mortgage crisis and impeded recovery from the crisis in neighborhoods of color. The complaint alleges that the defendants discriminated on the basis of disability in violation of the Fair Housing Act (FHA) by refusing to allow the complainant to live with her assistance animal. v. SafeRent et al. On October 8, 2021, HUD announced a Conciliation Agreement/Voluntary Compliance Agreement with the owners of a HUD-subsidized community in Fairhope, Alabama, resolving allegations that the owners policy prohibiting visitors under the age of 12 due to COVID-19 was discriminatory. Housing discrimination can take many forms. National Fair Housing Alliance and Redfin Agree to Settlement Which ), United States v. Hannah, et al. The Fortune Society had alleged in the case that (1) Defendants refused rental inquires for their clients because of their policy prohibiting anyone with a criminal record from residing there, and (2) Defendants policy was discriminatory in violation of the FHA because it disproportionately excluded African Americans and Latinos from housing, without considering each potential tenants individual circumstances. Additional protection may also be available in other situations, too. An official website of the United States government. ), United States v. Vernon C. Morgan (D. Colo.), United States v. City National Bank (C.D. The total amount to be paid by the Respondents is $80,000. In the case involving SunTrust, the story has been updated to include loan officers as well as brokers. Train your staff on what steering is, and how to avoid it. The settlement resolves the groups claims that Fannie Mae treated homes it owned in majority-Black and Latino communities unfavorably. The substance and findings of the work are dedicated to the public. The Defendants will pay The Fortune Society $1,187,500 in order to resolve the case. Md. 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. NFHA said it will invest the vast majority of the settlement directly back into the communities that were harmed. By submitting your e-mail address, you also acknowledge that the information you provide will be transferred to MailChimp for processing in accordance with their Privacy Policy and Terms (https://mailchimp.com/legal). Ashland Housing settles lawsuit - The Clay Times Journal Viewour complete disclaimer. On January 23, 2023, the United States Attorneys office filed an election complaint in United States v. Vernon Morgan(D. Colo.). Fair Housing Justice Center on LinkedIn: "Apparently, persons with The complaint, which was filed on October 30, 2020, alleges that the owners and managers of a 15-lot mobile home park in West Plains, Missouri discriminated on the basis of disability by requiring a pet deposit for the complainants assistance animal and verbally harassing the complainants, brandishing a gun, and physically attacking one of the complainants. An official website of the United States government. Facebook, in its settlement with fair housing and other civil rights groups last week, said it would withhold a wide array of detailed demographic information including gender, age and Zip . We use MailChimp as our e-mail automation platform. Black and Latino consumers were actively targeted by predatory subprime mortgage lenders in the run-up to the 2008 Financial Crisis and, as a result, homes in Black and Latino neighborhoods were respectively 2 and 2.5 times more likely to be foreclosed than homes in White communities. Visit Website. As the trade association for over 170 fair housing and justice-centered organizations throughout the U.S. and its territories, NFHA works to dismantle longstanding barriers to equity and build diverse, inclusive, well-resourced communities. On February 7, 2023, the court entered a consent order in this Fair Housing Act election case. When Black families and other families of color have limited access to wealth-building through homeownership, this means they also have limited access to educational opportunities, quality health care, and more.. You cant use our work to populate a website designed to improve rankings on search engines or solely to gain revenue from network-based advertisements. On October 7, 2021, HUD announced it approved a Conciliation Agreement between the owners of an apartment complex in Tucson, AZ, and a same-sex African-American couple residing at the complex. Access to affordable housing is a central aspect to successful reintegration for the thousands of Americans and North Carolinians, disproportionately people of color, released from incarceration each year. If an applicant does not meet these requirements, thats one thing. The complaint alleges that City National Bank (City National), violated the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) and the Fair Housing Act (FHA) by engaging in unlawful redlining in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Division (Los Angeles County) by avoiding providing credit services to majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods because of the race, color, and national origin of the people living in those neighborhoods. According to a 2019 study cited by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, nearly 8 in 10 formerly incarcerated individuals reported ineligibility or denial of housing because of their or a loved ones conviction history. The Housing and Civil Enforcement Section of the Civil Rights Division is responsible for the Department'senforcement of the Fair Housing Act (FHA), along with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), the land use provisions of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Housing Rights subpart of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 (VAWA 2022). 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. US Bank NFHA et al. Forward all correspondence with the complainants to your attorney. The jury also found that the Defendant had violated the Fair Housing Act rights of three persons a married couple who owned a unit and another woman who was also a unit owner - whose requests for accommodations for assistance animals were denied or unreasonably delayed. Litigation Log - Fair Housing Center of Southeast & Mid Michigan Black and Hispanic homeowners also were encouraged to take on riskier subprime loans. In 2011, HUD agreed to pay roughly $62 million under a new Blight Reduction Grant Adjustment program. USClaims is making your Litigation Funding Simplified. Monthly property management resources will be delivered to your inbox! Conversely, the African American testers who inquired about [], TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, ET AL. Website by Tomatillo Design, Shut Out of Housing: Legal Protections for Domestic Violence Survivors, Religious Discrimination under the Fair Housing Act. 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. Because a familys home is often its greatest asset, unfair practices drive growth of the racial wealth gap, said William Tisdale, President and CEO of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council. Develop a written tenant selection plan and stick to it. Keep up-to-date with the latest news and housing related activism. 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 . The settlement guarantees that Washington . 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.
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