Florida AG, Developer Settle Civil Rights Allegations Of Violating State Fair Housing Act Accessibility Standards

From the Office of the Florida Attorney General:

• Attorney General Bill McCollum [...] announced that his office has obtained a settlement for a Central Florida couple resolving allegations of civil rights violations related to their condominium. Under the settlement, Brevard County developer Tricon Development Corporation paid $15,000 in civil damages to Josephine and Dominic DeRusso, which included the cost of retrofitting the couple’s home. [...] The lawsuit alleged that Tricon had failed to meet the Florida Fair Housing Act’s accessibility standards when it developed the DeRusso’s condominium in Indiatlantic, Florida. Mrs. DeRusso is disabled and needed her home and certain common areas made accessible.

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• The DeRussos asked the Attorney General to file the lawsuit to enforce the provisions of the Fair Housing Act following an investigation and reasonable cause determination by the Florida Commission on Human Relations. In addition to paying civil damages to the DeRussos and retrofitting their home, Tricon will make several modifications to the common areas at Topaz Oceanfront Condominium. The modifications include installing grab bars in the appropriate locations at the pool area and adapting the threshold at a door connecting the pool area and the pool restrooms.

For the Florida AG press release, see McCollum Obtains Civil Rights Settlement for Central Florida Couple.