Raleigh, July 1, 2015 – Lawyers for 16 women who alleged they were sexually harassed by two employees of Southeastern Family & Community Services (SCFS), a Scotland County nonprofit that administers a federal housing program, have settled a federal housing discrimination lawsuit against the group and its former employees, John Wesley and Eric Pender. The settlement, which …
lawsuit
Proposed Consent Decree – Sellers v. Southeastern Community and Family Services
Scotland County Housing Group Settles Fair Housing Case for $2.7 Million
Fair Housing Project Settles Discrimination Suit Against Raleigh Homeowners Association
On March 23, 2015, the Fair Housing Project of Legal Aid of North Carolina announced that a Raleigh homeowners association and their property manager have agreed to pay $20,000 to settle a housing discrimination lawsuit that accused them of discriminating based on disability. The lawsuit was filed by North Carolina Human Relations Commission (NCHRC) in Wake …
Supreme Court Hears Oral Argument on Fair Housing Act Case
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 …
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 …