Euless apartment owners ordered to pay fines in Fair Housing Act suit involving South Asians, MEs
The U.S. Justice Department has settled a housing discrimination lawsuit in Euless over discrimination against persons of Middle Eastern and South Asian ancestry.
Under the consent order, issued by federal Chief Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater of the Northern District of Texas, the defendants at the apartment complex known as Stonebridge at Bear Creek will pay a total of $107,000 in civil penalties and $210,000 in a damages fund to compensate victims. The consent order doesnt constitute a judicial finding of any violations of law, it reads.
The federal civil rights complaint was filed in April of last year alleging for several years, the owners, employees and management company of Stonebridge violated the Fair Housing Act. The 184-unit Stonebridge complex is managed by S&H Realty management of Minnesota.
According to the suit, Stonebridge manager Nancy Quandt told her leasing agents they were prohibited from leasing to Middle Eastern or South Asian people unless there were openings in buildings No. 16 or 18, which were designated for curry people.
More at http://thescoopblog.dallasnews.com/2014/01/euless-apartment-owners-ordered-to-pay-fines-in-fair-housing-act-suit-involving-south-asians-middle-easterners.html/ .