$135K Settlement in Suit Alleging Discrimination Against Families with Children

The owner and operator of a Massachusetts community recently agreed to pay $135,000 to settle allegations of discrimination against families with children in a lawsuit filed by the Justice Department.

Specifically, the complaint accused the community of maintaining policies to segregate families with children in certain buildings and to restrict them to certain floors and units within the 224-unit complex. The allegations were based on evidence generated by the department’s fair housing testing program, in which individuals pose as renters to gather information about possible discriminatory practices.

Under the settlement, the community will pay $135,000 into a fund to compensate alleged victims of discrimination, along with $7,500 in civil penalties. The agreement requires the community to ensure that families with children are not restricted from renting units anywhere at the complex.

“Discrimination against families because they have children limits their ability to find suitable housing and will not be tolerated,” Vanita Gupta, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, said in a statement. “We appreciate the defendant’s cooperation with our investigation and willingness to resolve the claims.”

Source: Justice Department