Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has recently brought a landmark charge against a landlord in New York on the grounds of a violation of the Fair Housing Act. According to the complaint, the landlord has allegedly discriminated against two tenants due to their disability status when they requested for an accommodation or modification of rental terms.
The Fair Housing Act was passed in 1968 with the main purpose of protecting people from discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, color or religion while participating in housing-related transactions such as renting or buying a home. HUD has long been committed to prosecuting violators of this important law in an effort to ensure that everyone is given equal access to available housing.
This particular case involves two individuals who are deaf. The first tenant requested a reasonable accommodation—an extension of the deadline of the tenant's lease due to the difficulty of the tenant’s disability to communicate verbally with the landlord. The second tenant requested a modification of the terms of the lease to allow a service animal due to the tenant’s disability and mental health issues. Both requests were denied by the landlord and the tenants were subsequently evicted from their homes.
HUD’s Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity believes that every individual is entitled to fair housing and access to the accommodations they need regardless of their race, religion, or disability status. She stated that the department will take all actions necessary to ensure that no person is discriminated against on the basis of their disability.
The charge alleges that the landlord violated the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against two disabled tenants based on their disability status. This is a serious offense, and if the charge is upheld by the court, the landlord could face hefty fines and could be forced to pay monetary damages to the victims.
In summary, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently charged a landlord in New York with violating the Fair Housing Act for their discriminatory practices against two disabled tenants. According to HUD, both tenants requested reasonable accommodations to their rental agreements due to their respective disabilities, yet were denied and subsequently evicted. If the charge is upheld by the court, the landlord could face significant penalties for their actions. By filing this charge, HUD hopes to continue to promote fair housing practices and protect the rights of disabled individuals.
This article was contributed on Jul 25, 2023
