The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that it had settled a discrimination complaint with Bank of America for allegedly refusing to provide a mortgage loan to a lesbian couple from Florida. According to a press release issued by HUD, the agreement is the first enforcement action taken against a lender involving …
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Fair Housing Project Seeking Bilingual Attorney
The Fair Housing Project of Legal Aid of North Carolina is currently accepting applications for a new bilingual (English and Spanish) staff attorney position. Application materials are due by January 1, 2013. Visit the Legal Aid website here to view the full job description.
Developer to Retrofit NC Apartments to Meet Accessibility Requirements
On November 14, 2012, the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) and the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) announced that they had settled a housing discrimination lawsuit with HHHunt Corporation, a Virginia-based real estate development company that operates apartment complexes in North Carolina, among other states. According to the press release announcing the settlement, HHHunt “agreed to retrofit inaccessible …
Morgan Stanley Sued for Discriminating in Mortgage Lending
On October 15, 2012, five Detroit residents and Michigan Legal Services sued Morgan Stanley for discriminating against African American homeowners by “providing strong incentives to a subprime lender to originate mortgages that were likely to be foreclosed on.” In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs are asking the court to certify a class action that could have …
Fair Housing Groups File Discrimination Complaint Against Bank of America
On September 25, 2012, the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) and five of its member organizations announced that they had filed a federal housing discrimination complaint against Bank of America Corporation, Bank of America, N.A., and BAC Home Loan Servicing, LP. The complaint, which was filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), alleges …
DOJ Sues North Carolina Landlord for Race Discrimination
On September 25, 2012, the United States Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the owners and managers of a number of rental homes in Washington, NC, alleging that apartment manager William I. Cochran III discriminated against African American tenants. According to the press release issued by the DOJ: The complaint, filed in the U.S. District …
Landlord Settles Sexual Harassment Suit for $2.13 Million
On September 11, 2012, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the settlement of a sexual harassment case brought against a California landlord accused of sexually harassing over 25 tenants. As part of the settlement, landlord Rawland Leon Sorensen will pay $2.13 million in monetary damages and civil penalties. According to the Justice Department’s press release …
DOJ, NC Settle Lawsuit Over Housing for People With Mental Illness
On August 23, 2012, the U.S. Department of Justice and the State of North Carolina announced the settlement of a lawsuit concerning North Carolina’s inadequate provision of housing for people with mental illness. The settlement is designed to ensure that North Carolina’s mental health service system is in compliance with federal law, including the Americans …
Study Finds Discrimination Against Deaf in Rental Housing
A new study by the Equal Rights Center, based in Washington, D.C., found widespread discrimination against the deaf in the rental housing market. The report, available here, found that 45% of deaf or hard of hearing individuals who used telecommunications relay service (TRS) to contact a potential landlord or other housing provider experienced discriminatory treatment while …
DOJ Settles Discrimination Suit With Wells Fargo; Bank to Provide $175 Million in Relief
On July 12, 2012, the U.S. Department of Justice announced a $175 million settlement — the second largest fair lending settlement in the department’s history — to resolve allegations that Wells Fargo Bank engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination against qualified African-American and Hispanic borrowers in its mortgage lending from 2004 through 2009. Under …