On August 13, 2014, United States District Court Judge Louise Flanagan refused to dismiss a lawsuit alleging a Washington, NC, landlord with racial discrimination. The lawsuit, brought by the U.S. Department of Justice in September 2012, alleges that William I. Cochran, III, and several entities that he is affiliated with discriminated against African American tenants over …
DOJ
DOJ, ADA Technical Assistance, “Effective Communication” (Jan 2014)
HUD-DOJ Joint Statement on Accessibility (Design & Construction) Requirements (April 30, 2013)
HUD DOJ Joint Statement on Reasonable Accommodations
HUD-DOJ Joint Statement on Reasonable Modifications
Court Allows Justice Dept. Discrimination Case Against NC Landlord to Proceed
15th Anniversary of Olmsted Decision
Fifteen years ago this month — on June 22, 1999 — the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in the case of Olmstead v. L.C. (“Olmsted“), finding that the unjustified segregation of persons with disabilities constitutes discrimination in violation of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This landmark Supreme Court decision requires states …
Justice Department Increases Civil Monetary Penalties for Fair Housing Violations
On March 28, 2014, the U.S. Department of Justice published a notice increasing the civil monetary penalties for violations of the Fair Housing Act. Under the new rule, which applies to violations that occur on or after April 28, 2014, the maximum civil penalty for a first violation has increased from $55,000 to $75,000, and for subsequent violations …
DOJ Issues Technical Assistance on ADA
On January 31, 2014, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that it has published two new technical assistance documents to assist individuals understand how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to their circumstances. The documents are: “Wheelchairs, Mobility Aids, and Other Power-Driven Mobility Devices,” which provides guidance on the DOJ’s 2010 regulations regarding the …
HUD Issues Guidance on Community-Based Housing for People with Disabilities
On June 4, 2013, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued new guidance to “encourage participation in state efforts” to assist individuals with disabilities who are “moving out of institutions and into [community-based] housing.” The guidance, titled “Statement of the Department of Housing and Urban Development on the Role of Housing in …