Sunday, May 15, 2016

HUD, Non-Profit Fair Housing Advocacy Group Shake $22K Out Of California Property Management Company To Settle Disability Discrimination Charges That It Routinely Denied Housing, Reasonable Accommodations To Renters Needing Use Of An Assistance Animal

The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development recently announced:
  • The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced [] a $22,600 Conciliation Agreement between Housing Equality Law Project(1) and the owners and managers of a San Diego-based property management company, settling allegations that they discriminated against persons with disabilities who required the use of assistance animals. Read the agreement.
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    The case came to HUD’s attention when Housing Equality Law Project (HELP), a non-profit fair housing advocacy organization based in South San Francisco, filed a complaint alleging that the owners and managers of HKT Cal, Inc., discriminated against persons with disabilities.

    The allegations were based on tests HELP conducted between July 2013 and April 2014, which allegedly showed that several apartment complexes managed by HKT Cal, Inc., in San Diego and Spring Valley, California routinely denied housing and reasonable accommodations to persons who required assistance animals.

    Under the terms of the agreement, HKT Cal will pay $22,600 to HELP to support the organization’s education and legal advocacy work on behalf of their clients. In addition, the company agreed to provide fair housing training for its agents.
Source: HUD Reaches Agreement With San Diego Property Owners, Managers Accused Of Discriminating Against Persons With Disabilities.
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(1) The Housing Equality Law Project is a private, non-profit fair housing advocacy group located in San Francisco, California that promotes the enforcement of anti-discrimination laws in housing.