Delaware News


DCRPT Secures Thousands For Tenants In Fair Housing Cases

Department of Justice | Department of Justice Press Releases | Date Posted: Friday, March 10, 2023


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The Delaware Department of Justice’s Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust secured fair housing settlements in two cases that awarded $50,000 collectively for two victims, among other stipulations. 

“Housing and reasonable accommodation are basic human rights,” said Attorney General Kathy Jennings. “— and that should be especially true in a place that prides itself on being a state of neighbors. There is no room for discrimination and dereliction of duty in this arena—especially when it leaves people or families homeless. DCRPT and the Division of Human and Civil Rights did fantastic work on these cases, and they  have my heartfelt thanks for helping to make this right.” 

In December 2022, DCRPT reached a settlement with the Wilmington-area apartment complex Chateau Orleans Apartments for failing to reasonably accommodate a tenant with a physical disability. The no fault settlement stipulates that Chateau Orleans Apartments, LLC, Chateau Orleans Holdings, LLC, and Olive Tree Management will pay the complainant $30,000, complete fair housing training and revise its fair housing accommodations and modification policies.  

The settlement comes after a complaint was filed in June 2022, alleging that Chateau Apartments constructively evicted the tenant, an amputee who uses a walker and wheelchair, by failing to repair a faulty elevator which served as the tenant’s only access to their second-floor apartment unit. An investigation found that the apartments allowed the disrepair to continue for more than four months, forcing the tenant to find alternate housing.  

In a second case, DCRPT reached an agreement with the Newark-area complex The Vinings at Christiana and Capreit Residential Management LLC., on January 23, 2023, for an instance of unlawful discriminatory housing practice that left a woman and three children homeless. According to the no -fault settlement, the defendant will remit $20,000 to the complainant, complete fair housing training and update its public-facing advertising material and fair housing policies. 

The settlement follows an investigation which found that the defendant violated the Delaware Fair Housing Act by failing to correctly follow the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Residential Selection Plan and wrongfully denying an applicant who held a State Rental Assistance Program Voucher on grounds of insufficient income.  

These settlements were secured by Deputy Attorney General Nicole Mozee with the assistance of Paralegal Dawn Pillarelli.  

If you or someone you know is experiencing housing discrimination, visit the DHCR website to file a complaint: https://humanandcivilrights.delaware.gov/fair-housing-information-center/how-to-file-a-complaint/

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DCRPT Secures Thousands For Tenants In Fair Housing Cases

Department of Justice | Department of Justice Press Releases | Date Posted: Friday, March 10, 2023


Navy blue background featuring the Delaware state seal in the center

The Delaware Department of Justice’s Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust secured fair housing settlements in two cases that awarded $50,000 collectively for two victims, among other stipulations. 

“Housing and reasonable accommodation are basic human rights,” said Attorney General Kathy Jennings. “— and that should be especially true in a place that prides itself on being a state of neighbors. There is no room for discrimination and dereliction of duty in this arena—especially when it leaves people or families homeless. DCRPT and the Division of Human and Civil Rights did fantastic work on these cases, and they  have my heartfelt thanks for helping to make this right.” 

In December 2022, DCRPT reached a settlement with the Wilmington-area apartment complex Chateau Orleans Apartments for failing to reasonably accommodate a tenant with a physical disability. The no fault settlement stipulates that Chateau Orleans Apartments, LLC, Chateau Orleans Holdings, LLC, and Olive Tree Management will pay the complainant $30,000, complete fair housing training and revise its fair housing accommodations and modification policies.  

The settlement comes after a complaint was filed in June 2022, alleging that Chateau Apartments constructively evicted the tenant, an amputee who uses a walker and wheelchair, by failing to repair a faulty elevator which served as the tenant’s only access to their second-floor apartment unit. An investigation found that the apartments allowed the disrepair to continue for more than four months, forcing the tenant to find alternate housing.  

In a second case, DCRPT reached an agreement with the Newark-area complex The Vinings at Christiana and Capreit Residential Management LLC., on January 23, 2023, for an instance of unlawful discriminatory housing practice that left a woman and three children homeless. According to the no -fault settlement, the defendant will remit $20,000 to the complainant, complete fair housing training and update its public-facing advertising material and fair housing policies. 

The settlement follows an investigation which found that the defendant violated the Delaware Fair Housing Act by failing to correctly follow the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Residential Selection Plan and wrongfully denying an applicant who held a State Rental Assistance Program Voucher on grounds of insufficient income.  

These settlements were secured by Deputy Attorney General Nicole Mozee with the assistance of Paralegal Dawn Pillarelli.  

If you or someone you know is experiencing housing discrimination, visit the DHCR website to file a complaint: https://humanandcivilrights.delaware.gov/fair-housing-information-center/how-to-file-a-complaint/

image_printPrint


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.