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 …
DOJ
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 …
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 …
DOJ Announces $10 Million Settlement in Disability Discrimination Case
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, …
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 …
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 …
Registration is Now Open for April Fair Housing Conference
Registration is now open for the 10th Annual Fair Housing Conference to be held in Raleigh, NC, on Friday, April 27, 2012. The conference, “Ensuring Fair Housing for All in North Carolina,” will feature keynote speaker John Trasviña, the Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. …
Justice Department Sues Louisiana Parish, Alleging Racial Discrimination
On January 31, 2012, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against St. Bernard Parish, La., alleging that the parish violated the Fair Housing Act by engaging in a multi-year campaign to limit rental housing opportunities for African-Americans. The DOJ’s press release announcing the lawsuit stated: The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the …