On July 5, 2022, HUD announced that it is charging 21 Palms RV Resort, Inc. and Nathan Dykgraaf, owner and manager of 21 Palms RV Resort Park in Davenport, Florida, with discriminating against a former tenant, who is a transgender woman, because of her gender identity. HUD’s Charge of Discrimination resulted from a complaint that the tenant filed with HUD, which alleges that Mr. Dykgraaf gave the tenant a letter stating that he was aware she was transitioning and telling her to act as a man, talk as a man, and dress as a man to avoid trouble.
The Fair Housing Act prohibits housing providers from discriminating because of a tenant’s gender identity. HUD’s General Counsel, Damon Smith, said this:
“The conduct alleged here provides a clear example of unlawful discrimination. This Charge makes clear that the Department will take action to stop housing providers from subjecting transgender tenants to such unlawful conduct.”
According to HUD, the charge will be heard by a United States Administrative Law Judgeunless any party to the charge elects to have the case heard in federal district court.
Read the HUD’s press release here.
The original complaint can be found here.