Court Approval Sought to Distribute Over $1 Million in Disability Discrimination

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Court Approval Sought to Distribute Over $1 Million in Disability

Discrimination Lawsuit Against Baltimore Housing Authority

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WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Justice Department

today announced that it will seek court approval for the pro rata

distribution of over $1 million in monetary damages among 756

individuals who were identified through a claims process as part of

the resolution of a 2004 lawsuit by the United States that alleged a

pattern or practice of discrimination by Housing Authority of

Baltimore City (HABC) against persons with disabilities.

The Justice Department's complaint alleged that HABC violated the

Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act

(ADA), and the Fair Housing Act by refusing to admit non-elderly

persons with disabilities; failing to make its public housing units,

common areas, and administrative offices accessible; and failing to

provide sufficient assistance to persons with physical or mental

disabilities who sought to rent private units through HABC's Section

8 Housing subsidy program. The Justice Department's lawsuit was

resolved together with a lawsuit filed by three individuals with

disabilities who were represented by the land Disability Law

Center. On Dec. 20, 2004, the U.S. District Court for the District

of land entered a consent order that settled the matter and

required HABC to establish a $1 million victims compensation fund and

implement changes to its housing facilities, programs, policies and

practices.

" Federal law guarantees that Americans with disabilities have the

right to seek fair and accessible housing within their communities, "

said Wan J. Kim, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights

Division. " The Justice Department will continue its vigorous

enforcement of all the fair housing laws. "

Fighting illegal housing discrimination is a top priority of the

Justice Department. In February 2006, Attorney General Alberto R.

announced Operation Home Sweet Home, a concentrated

initiative to expose and eliminate housing discrimination in

America. This initiative was inspired by the plight of displaced

victims of Hurricane Katrina who were suddenly forced to find new

places to live. Operation Home Sweet Home is not limited to the

areas hit by Hurricane Katrina and targets housing discrimination

all over the country.

More information about Operation Home Sweet Home is available at the

Justice Department Web site at http://www.usdoj.gov/fairhousing.

Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of housing

discrimination can call the Housing Discrimination Tip Line at

1-800-896-7743, email the Justice Department at

fairhousing@..., or contact the U.S. Department of Housing and

Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777.

The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing

based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and

familial status. Since Jan. 1, 2001, the Justice Department's Civil

Rights Division has filed 230 cases to enforce the Fair Housing Act,

105 of which have alleged discrimination based on disability. More

information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces

is available at http://www.usdoj.gov/crt.