On Wednesday, January 21, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument in the case of Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v. Inclusive Communities Project. The case raises the issue of whether the federal Fair Housing Act prohibits actions that have a discriminatory effect (also called a “disparate impact”) on a protected class or only …
lawsuit
US Dep’t of Justice Sues Scotland County Housing Group, Alleging Sexual Harassment
On December 10, 2014, the United States Department of Justice filed a lawsuit in federal court against Southeastern Community and Family Services, Inc. (formerly Four-County Community Services, Inc.), and two of its employees alleging repeated acts of sexual harassment. Southeastern Community and Family Services is a public housing agency that administers the Section 8 voucher program …
Settlement of Royal Oak Concerned Citizens Assn, et al. v. Brunswick County Lawsuit
The Royal Oak Concerned Citizens Association case against Brunswick County was resolved on June 16, 2014 with the County’s approval of the settlement agreement. See the Star News article from June 18, 2014 for more information about the settlement. The UNC Center for Civil Rights initiated the lawsuit in Brunswick County Superior Court in June …
Court Allows Justice Dept. Discrimination Case Against NC Landlord to Proceed
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 …
FH Project Seeks Restraining Order for Victims of Sexual Extortion
On June 30, 2014, Legal Aid of North Carolina’s Fair Housing Project and Greensboro attorney Craig Hensel filed a motion asking a U.S. district court to prevent a nonprofit housing group from retaliating against eight women who say the group’s employees extorted sex in exchange for facilitating their participation in a federal housing subsidy program. Legal …
Pinehurst Settles Discrimination Case Over Affordable Housing
On June 4, 2014, the Village of Pinehurst agreed to settle a fair housing discrimination claim brought by developers and residents over the Village’s refusal to allow an affordable housing project to be developed for senior citizens. As part of the settlement, the Village will agree to make the zoning changes necessary for the 56-unit development …
Rhode Island City Sues Santander Bank for Redlining
On May 29, 2014, the City of Providence, Rhode Island, filed a lawsuit in federal court against Santander Bank, N.A., accusing the bank of discrimination in mortgage lending. The City alleges that since 2009, Santander has deliberately discriminated by refusing to make prime mortgage loans available in minority neighborhoods, in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act. Since it …
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 …
Pelham, NC, Landlord Order to Pay $36,000 for Race Discrimination
On April 10, 2014, a Virginia landlord with property in Pelham, NC, was ordered to pay $36,000 for discriminating against prospective African American tenants. The landlord, John Sylvania Matthews, III, resides in Danville, VA, and rents property in both Virginia and North Carolina. The case arose in September 2013, when an African American woman called him about a …
HUD Finds City of Dallas in Noncompliance with Fair Housing Laws
In a 29-page letter dated November 22, 2013, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) found that the City of Dallas, TX, was in noncompliance with a number of fair housing and civil rights laws. The finding came as a result of a complaint filed by Curtis Lockey and Craig MacKenzie, affordable housing developers, who had …