On April 10, 2023, the HUD announced a groundbreaking $3 million settlement reached by two of its fair housing enforcement partners, the State of California Civil Rights Department (CRD) and Project Sentinel. The settlement resolves allegations that Vasona Management, Inc., a California property management company, and more than thirty apartment complex owners discriminated against families with children at more than forty-eight apartment complexes throughout the Bay Area by prohibiting any outdoor play activities and requiring parents to supervise children under the age of 14 in all common areas.
In February 2023, the CRD reached a consent decree resolving a systemic fair housing lawsuit against Vasona Management Inc. and apartment complex owners for discrimination against families with children. The settlement came as a result of an investigation and the filing of a complaint by Project Sentinel, a non-profit organization in the Bay area that develops and promotes fairness and equity in housing for all persons.
Under the consent decree, the respondents are required to pay $3 million dollars to aggrieved families. In addition, the respondents will implement corrective measures over five years, including public interest relief to help prevent future discrimination, revising its rules and approval procedures, distributing brochures to tenants about their rights, creating and maintaining policies to prevent discrimination and report discrimination, and annual training.
Read the HUD’s full press release here.