InfoBytes Blog
DOJ settles with Alabama housing authority on discrimination allegations
On December 15, the DOJ announced the approval of a consent decree by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, which resolves a Fair Housing Act lawsuit against an Alabama public housing authority, as well as several related parties, accused of engaging in racial steering. According to the DOJ, the defendants allegedly maintained largely segregated housing and steered Black applicants away from several overwhelmingly white housing communities to two predominantly Black housing communities. In the DOJ’s investigation, tenants and residents reportedly highlighted “the deep psychological stigma and harm suffered by hundreds of Black families who have lived in segregated housing for generations.” Under the consent decree, the defendants must pay $275,000 in damages to 23 current or former tenants who were allegedly harmed by the race discrimination, as well as a $10,000 civil money penalty. Among other requirements, the defendants must (i) implement policies and procedures to remedy the alleged segregation and to ensure applicants are not offered housing community units based on their race or color; (ii) undergo fair housing training; and (iii) periodically submit compliance reports to the DOJ.