1998

1998 issues of The Advocate

Louisiana owners pay $325,000 for segregating African-Americans and whites at complex


The Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center (FHAC) achieved a $325,000 settlementin a housing discrimination lawsuit filed against the Riviera Oaks Apartments. The Aprilsettlement closes a complaint filed by FHAC and joined by ten African-American tenantsfrom the apartment complex.

FHAC accused the apartment owners of segregatingAfrican-American tenants in apartments on one side of the 140-unit complex, requiringAfrican-Americans to use a swimming pool separate from whites, and denyingAfrican-Americans the same services provided to white tenants.

African-American real estate agent wins $100,000 jury award after being denied Re/Max franchise

Earlier this year, an African-American man who asserted that a realty company denied him a real estate franchise because of his race, won a $100,000 jury award against a Colorado real estate company. An all-white federal jury awarded the money to Edward Tyler after a six-day trial in February 1998. Tyler filed a complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Division before he filed his federal lawsuit.

Alabama complex owners agree to $800,000 settlement in Justice Department race lawsuit

In February, the Justice Department reached an agreement totaling nearly $800,000 thatrequires the owners and operators of five apartment complexes in Mobile, Alabama to createa new policy preventing discrimination against African-Americans. The settlement alsoresolves a private class action suit filed by 13 African Americans who had sought housingor lived at the rental properties at issue.

The agreement, filed in U.S. District Courtin Mobile, resolves allegations that Springdale Stores, Inc.

Nevada condo developer pays $37,500 to resolve HUD disability and accessibility complaint

A Las Vegas developer agreed to pay $37,500 to settle a housing discriminationcomplaint involving a 168-unit Las Vegas condominium complex that is not accessible topeople with disabilities. The May settlement agreement resolves a complaint filed with theUS Department of Housing and urban Development (HUD) by the Disability Rights ActionCommittee, a Las Vegas advocacy group.

The agreement will enable 56 first-floorcondominiums at the Pueblo at Santa Fe condo complex in Las Vegas to be remodeled so theyare accessible to people with disabilities.

Georgia Commission gets Florida woman to pay $58,663 in its first ever civil court judgment

The Chatham County (Georgia) Superior Court entered a judgment, in February, ruling infavor of an African-American woman who had been denied a chance to rent a home. The Courtordered the defendant to pay compensatory damages to the plaintiff in the amount of$50,000, a civil penalty of $5,000, and attorney's fees of $3663. The Court also issued apermanent injunction that bars the defendant from committing future discrimination.

Georgia'scivil rights commission gets its first civil court judgment

Interracial couple turned away from rental house win $65,000 settlement in Chicago-area race case

In June, two suburban Chicago landlords, whom a fair housing agency accused of refusing torent to an interracial couple and for turning away other blacks, agreed to pay $65,000 tosettle a complaint filed with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Ina signed conciliation agreement, landlords Barbara Civik and her brother, Kenneth Civik,of Wauconda, Illinois, have agreed to pay $50,000 to Eric and Beth King, and $15,000 tothe HOPE Fair Housing Center in Wheaton, Illinois.

California landlords agree to pay $130,000 for denying rental to African-American mother and son

A federal court jury found that the Orange County, California landlords and managers atMecca Apartments discriminated against African-Americans and families with children. TheMarch judgment facilitated a consent decree that included an award of $130,000 incompensatory and punitive damages for the plaintiffs.

The case leading to the judgmentinvolved an African-American, single mother, Greta Douglas, and her young son who soughtto rent a Los Alamitos, California apartment. They asserted that the defendants deniedthem the apartment because of their race and family status.

Advocate notebooks and indexes offered again 

The National Fair Housing Advocate is again offering notebooks to its readers for storage and maintenance of Advocate issues. The notebooks include a two-inch, three-ring binder with the National Fair Housing Advocate logo and a copy of the 1991-1996 National Fair Housing Advocate index. The comprehensive index will soon pages are available, free of charge, without buying a notebook.

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