Recent HUD Charges May Indicate Race Discrimination In Housing Remains Alive & Well

From recent press releases from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development:

• HUD CHARGES WISCONSIN LANDLORD WITH REFUSING TO RENT TO AFRICAN AMERICAN COUPLE (La Crosse property manager encouraged whites to apply while telling blacks no apartments were available):
  
  HUD brings the charge on behalf of the couple, alleging that Geneva Terrace, Inc. and Victoria Gerrard, the owner of Geneva Terrace Apartments, and property manager Nicolai Quinn refused to show an apartment to the complainants. Additionally, they falsely represented to the couple and other black applicants that no units were available, while informing white applicants of available units and encouraging them to apply. (lawsuit here);



• HUD CHARGES CONNECTICUT PROPERTY OWNER, MANAGER WITH DENYING HOUSING TO AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY:
  
  The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced that it is charging Merline and Clifton Hylton, the owner and manager of a rental home in Windsor Locks, Connecticut with violating the Fair Housing Act for denying a request by biracial tenants to sublease their home to an African American family. The current tenants allege that Mr. Hylton told them he was rejecting the prospective sub-tenants because he “did not want too many blacks at the property.” (lawsuit here);



• HUD CHARGES OWNER AND MANAGER OF CINCINNATI APARTMENT COMPLEX WITH RACE DISCRIMINATION:
  
  According to the charge, HOME conducted two sets of paired tests in response to allegations that Valley Woods Apartments was rapidly changing from being predominantly black to predominantly Hispanic. The first African American tester called three times in four days, and was given different reasons each time for the manager being unable to schedule an appointment to view an apartment.
  
  The final time the tester called, the apartment manager allegedly informed him that she was waiting for another applicant to pay the deposit on the only available unit and suggested he call back in a week.
  
  In contrast, on the next day when a Hispanic tester called to inquire about an available apartment, the apartment manager allegedly offered to show him the unit that day. The Hispanic tester followed up with two more phone calls, during which the apartment manager provided him with information about the unit and suggested how he could reserve it for himself. The Hispanic tester then scheduled an appointment and was able to tour a two-bedroom apartment.
  
  Two weeks later, the same two-bedroom apartment was still available when a second African American tester called the apartment complex to inquire about available units. The apartment manager returned his call and informed him that the two-bedroom apartment had been rented and that she did not know when any other unit would be available, and advised him to call back in two weeks. According to the Charge, when the second Hispanic tester called the next day, the apartment manager offered to show him the two-bedroom apartment immediately. (lawsuit here).