'Clean & Sober' Group Home Operator Scores $55K From Michigan Municipality In Settlement Of DOJ Fair Housing Lawsuit

From the U.S. Department of Justice:

• The Justice Department announced [] that Dalton Township, Mich., will pay $62,500 to settle a lawsuit alleging that the township discriminated against a group home for persons recovering from drug and alcohol addiction, in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act.(1)

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• "The Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act ensure that persons with disabilities, including those recovering from addiction, can live in a community of their choosing free from discrimination," said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. "The Justice Department will continue its vigorous enforcement of federal laws to protect the civil rights of persons with disabilities across the country."

• "Cities and towns have an obligation to make reasonable accommodations to their zoning policies when they are necessary to afford people with disabilities the same housing opportunities that others enjoy," said John Trasviña, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. "HUD will continue to work with the Justice Department to enforce the Fair Housing Act to ensure equal housing opportunities for people with disabilities."

For the DOJ press release, see Justice Department Settles Housing Discrimination Lawsuit Against Dalton Township, Michigan.

(1) According to the press release, Dalton Township will fork over $55,000 to the owner of the group home, and permit him to operate the group home for up to nine men recovering from alcohol and drug dependency at its current location; and cough up $7,500 to the United States as a civil penalty.