Michigan Landlord Agrees to $20K Settlement in Fair Housing Case

A Michigan landlord recently agreed to pay $20,000 to settle allegations of discrimination based on familial status against a mother and her two children, according to an announcement by the Fair Housing Center of Southeastern Michigan.

The prospective renter contacted the fair housing center to report that the leasing agent took a rental application away from her after the agent learned that she has two children. Based on her complaint, the fair housing center sent out testers who acted as potential home seekers at various times during the period of a month. The fair housing center reported that the results of its investigation strongly supported the prospect’s claim of discrimination based on familial status.

According to the prospect’s complaint, the community owner told her that “they really do not want children living here.” The lawsuit also alleged that the owner told fair housing testers that “you can’t have kids,” “it is an adult unit,” and that when a previous tenant “found a girlfriend with kids,” she “got rid of them.”

Source: Fair Housing Center of Southeastern Michigan