On April 25, 2013, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released new guidance regarding “service animals” and “assistance animals” for people with disabilities. The notice, signed by HUD Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity John Trasviña, explains housing providers’ obligations under the Fair Housing Act and Section 504 of the …
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Registration Open for 2013 Fair Housing Conference
Registration is open for the 2013 Fair Housing Conference being sponsored by the Fair Housing Project and the Raleigh Fair Housing Hearing Board. The conference will be held on Friday, April 26, 2013, from 8 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., with breakfast and lunch being provided. This year’s conference will be held at the Raleigh Convention Center, located at 500 …
HUD Issues Fair Housing “Disparate Impact” Rule
On February 8, 2013, HUD announced that it was publishing a new rule implementing the Fair Housing Act’s discriminatory effects (“disparate impact”) standard. While in most cases an individual bringing a complaint under the Fair Housing Act must show that the opposing party acted with an intent to discriminate, under the disparate impact theory, an individual …
Research Links Higher Racial Segregation with Increased Cancer
A study published in the January 2013 issue of the medical journal JAMA Surgery finds that African Americans have higher lung cancer mortality rates than whites and that African Americans who live in the most segregated counties in the U.S. have 20% higher mortality rates than African Americans who live in less segregated counties. By contrast, whites …
HUD Settles with Bank of America Over LGBT Discrimination
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 …
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 …