An agreement has been met with the owners of seven Michigan apartment complexes to resolve allegations that they discriminated against families with children in violation of the Fair Housing Act.
The lawsuit from back in November of 2015 alleged that the defendants discriminated against families with children by prohibiting them from renting one-bedroom units in the defendants' apartment complexes.
Defendants: Rental Manager Sudi Hopper, and the corporate entities that own the complexes Parkside East Inc., Holt Manor Inc. and Kelly Manor Inc.
Allegations were based on evidence from the Fair Housing Center of Southeastern Michigan, which had testers posing as prospective residents contact the defendants and ask to rent one-bedroom apartments.
Testers who claimed to have children were told that they were not allowed in one-bedroom units. The Fair Housing Center also filed a lawsuit, that was resolved separately.
If it's approved by the court the defendants will start a settlement fund of $20,000 to compensate victims of their discrimination. The defendants will also pay $5,000 in civil penalties to the United States.
The defendants will also get rid of the restrictions on children at the apartments they own.
Complexes Involved: Parkside East Apartments in East Lansing, Michigan; Holt Manor Apartments and C and H Apartments in Holt, Michigan; Kelly Manor Apartments in Owosso, Michigan; Camelot Apartments in Lansing, Michigan; Pine Cove Apartments in DeWitt, Michigan; and Park Place Apartments in Williamston, Michigan.
The agreement also requires that defendants inform tenants of their new nondiscriminatory policies and provide training on the Fair Housing Act to their staff and agents.
