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- Latest news item posted on 08/30/2010 at 09:45 AM
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55-and-up age restriction challenged in Wash. town
(RYDERWOOD, Wash., Aug. 29, 2010)
-- This Southwest Washington community has long been reserved for 55-and-older retirees, but recent rulings by a federal court judge have imperiled that status - and worsened tensions in the tiny, unincorporated town.
U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle in Tacoma ruled in June that Ryderwood has violated the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against families with young children, and this month he issued an injunction ordering Ryderwood to stop enforcing the age restriction and to stop advertising itself as a 55-and-older community.
The Daily News of Longview reports that the rulings have contributed to a worsening rift in the 270-home town, located at the end of State Highway 506 in Cowlitz County.
The lawsuit was brought by about 50 residents who wanted to be able to sell their homes to anyone - not just to older people - and opponents of the age restriction say they've been harassed.
FULL STORY at seattlepi.com
Willborn race-bias case heads to Justice Dept.
(CHICAGO, Aug. 26, 2010)
-- The U.S. Justice Department has been asked to take up the case of Chicago radio personality George Willborn, who allegedly was the victim of racial discrimination because of his family’s failed efforts to buy a home in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development filed a federal housing discrimination complaint this month against Bridgeport homeowners Daniel and Adrienne Sabbia, Prudential Rubloff Properties and real estate agent Jeffrey Lowe. HUD said they violated the Fair Housing Act when the Sabbias backed out of a verbal agreement to sell the $1.799 million home to the Willborns, who are African-American.
The matter could have been handled as an administrative case by HUD or in the federal court system by the Justice Department. The Willborns elected to transfer the matter to Justice, which will decide within 30 days whether to file a suit. If it does, the Willborns could be eligible to receive punitive damages as well as compensatory damages from a jury.
Separately, the Willborns filed their own civil lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Chicago Thursday against the Sabbias, Prudential Rubloff Properties and Lowe’s The Lowe Group. Any Justice case could be consolidated with the Willborn’s suit in federal court.
FULL STORY at chicagobreakingbusiness.com
HUD charges northeast Ohio landlord with housing discrimination
(WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2010)
-- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced that it is charging Testa Family Enterprises, LTD, owner of Royal Arms Apartments in Ravenna, Ohio, and the complex’s manager with housing discrimination for allegedly refusing to rent certain apartments to families with young children.
HUD’s charge alleges that manager Christine Testa and Testa Family Enterprises, LTD, violated the Fair Housing Act by limiting or refusing to rent to families with small children.
The Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination based on familial status, including preferences or limitations that would effectively discriminate against families with children. It is unlawful to refuse to rent to families with children.
“The days of routine ’No Children’ rental policies are over,” stated John Trasviña, HUD Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “The Fair Housing Act prohibits them and HUD will enforce the law to protect the rights of families with children.”
FULL STORY at realestaterama.com
Racial real estate post shocks Calgarians
(CALGARY, Aug. 25, 2010)
-- Calgary residents are shocked after a home listing on a Calgary website stated the owners will sell to a “white buyer” only, in a “highly rated white community.”
People took to the local rants and raves sections of www.Craigslist.com to voice their outrage at the house posting that appeared on www.CalgaryFinder.com. The listing also promised a private backyard that won’t have “colored people peaking” in.
Area Ald. Joe Connelly said he is infuriated with the listing, even if it was a joke, and said he will be looking into it further.
“That is absolutely unacceptable and it’s not the way Calgarians think and it’s not the way Canadians think. Ward 6 is a very diverse community,” Connelly said.
Metro contacted the only available link to the house sellers with no response, though a spokesperson for the CalgaryFinder.com said the listing was “legitimate.”
FULL STORY at www.metronews.ca
Bethlehem zoners reject group home for mentally retarded
(BETHLEHEM, Pa., Aug. 25, 2010)
-- A mental health care provider's plans to operate a group home for the mentally ill in Bethlehem were stalled Wednesday when the city Zoning Hearing Board denied a variance for parking and a change of use.
However, the vote may not affect the rental of 943-945 Monocacy Street as a home for mentally ill residents by Resources for Human Development.
Resources for Human Development applied for a use variance to install a group meeting room and business office at the residence and a dimensional variance from the off-street parking requirements. The city zoning ordinance requires 18 parking spaces based on the proposed use of the space. The building is currently a two-family apartment house and was formerly rented to Moravian College students.
The property has the required four off-street parking spaces for a two-unit home, which is how RHD plans to rent it, and the federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in the rental or sale of homes to handicapped or disabled people.
FULL STORY at http://articles.mcall.com
Neo Nazi Bill White back in court for civil trial
(Virginia Beach, Va., Aug. 25, 2010)
-- Attorneys for the plaintiffs (the five Virginia Beach women suing White) said to expect to hear from all five women and one of their husbands Thursday morning and into Thursday afternoon.
The plaintiffs also intend to play a videotape disposition of White from quite some time ago, where White talks about the case.
White's attorneys told jurors they intend to defend him by arguing the plaintiffs blew the case totally out of proportion and that White was simply practicing free speech.
In May 2007, White sent every tenant at a Virginia Beach section eight housing complex a racially offensive letter and a copy of his Neo-Nazi magazine.
All five women received the mailer. At least one immediately went into hiding. Another woman's small child opened the packet and looked at the magazine.
FULL STORY at www2.wsls.com
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