On June 25, 2012, the Justice Department announced its largest-ever disability-based housing discrimination settlement fund to resolve allegations that JPI Construction L.P. and six other related entities based in Irving, Texas, discriminated on the basis of disability in the design and construction of multifamily housing complexes throughout the United States. In a press release announcing the settlement, …
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Bank of America to Pay $160,000 to Settle Maternity Discrimination Claim
On June 7, 2012, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that Bank of America agreed to pay up to $161,180 to settle allegations that one of the bank’s brances in San Jose, California, refused to refinance the mortgage of woman because she was on maternity leave. HUD reached the agreement with Bank of …
Court Rules Against Westchester County, NY; HUD Withholds CDBG Funds
On May 3, 2012, U.S. District Court Judge Denise Cote held that the Westchester County, New York, violated a 2010 consent decree designed to address racial and ethnic segregation in the County. The ruling concerned legislation in the County that would have prohibited landlords from considering a tenant’s “source of income” in making rental decisions. Under the terms …
NC Fair Housing Project Awarded New HUD Grant
On May 9, 2012, the Fair Housing Project of Legal Aid of North Carolina was awarded a $325,000 grant to allow it to continue its enforcement and education work throughout the State during 2012-2013. The one-year grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will fund legal assistance and referral services to …
Justice Dept. Settles Lending Suit Involving Pregnancy Discrimination
On April 30, 2012, the United States Department of Justice announced the settlement of a lawsuit against the Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation (MGIC) for discriminating against women on maternity leave in violation of the Fair Housing Act. According to its press release, the settlement is the DOJ’s first involving discrimination against women and families in mortgage …
44th Anniversary of Fair Housing Act
April 11, 2012, marks the 44th anniversary of the signing of the federal Fair Housing Act. The law’s enactment came after several years of debate in Congress and was spurred by the April 4, 1968, assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The original 1968 fair housing law prohibited discrimination based on race, color, …
DOJ Sues NY Mortgage Company for Lending Discrimination
The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit alleging that GFI Mortgage Bankers, Inc., violated the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act by charging African-American and Latino borrowers higher interest rates and fees on home mortgage loans than white borrowers. According to the Justice Department’s press release announcing the lawsuit: From 2005 through at least …
Consumer Group Releases New Study on Fair Lending
The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) issued a new report examining the fair housing implications of the mortgage lending crisis. The report, entitled “Why Responsible Mortgage Lending Is a Fair Housing Issue,” notes: The historic legacy of redlining contributed materially to the subprime boom and bust, as subprime lenders and brokers flooded African‐American and Latino …
Greensboro Homeless Shelter, Residents Sue State for Disability Discrimination
Mary’s House, the owner and operator of a shelter and transitional living facility in Greensboro, North Carolina, filed a lawsuit in federal court on February 17, 2012, alleging that the State’s decision to stop funding its programs was based on disability-based discrimination in violation of the Fair Housing Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and other laws. Joining Mary’s House …
HUD, NFHA Launch Media Campaign to Fight Housing Discrimination
On February 22, 2012, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) announced the launch of a new series of radio and print public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to teach individuals and families how to recognize and report discrimination in housing because of race, color, sex, religion, national …