HUD Approves Settlement with Pennsylvania Housing Providers Resolving Claim of Housing Discrimination

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today it approved a Conciliation Agreement under the Fair Housing Act between the Metropolitan Management Corporation and Lancaster Court Associates and a family of former tenants. The agreement resolves allegations that the housing providers discriminated against the family when terminating their lease because a member of the family had a second child. The Fair Housing Acts makes it illegal to discriminate in the sale or rental of housing based on race, color, national origin, disability, religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), and familial status.

The agreement stems from a complaint alleging that Metropolitan Management Corporation and Lancaster Court Associates violated the Fair Housing Act by having an overly rigid occupancy policy that discriminated based on familial status. The complaint alleges that when a baby was born to a family of four, Respondents terminated the family's lease for a two-bedroom unit because of Respondents' occupancy policy.

"No tenant should be subjected to housing discrimination based on their familial status or family status as some call it" said Demetria L. McCain, Principal Deputy Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. "This agreement demonstrates HUD's commitment to enforcing the Fair Housing Act and making sure all families have access to fair and inclusive housing."

Under the terms of the agreement, Metropolitan Management Corporation and Lancaster Court Associates will pay $70,000 to the tenants as well as attend fair housing training, develop an occupancy policy that conforms with the Fair Housing Act, and train their staff on the new occupancy policy.

People who believe they have experienced discrimination may file a complaint by contacting HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at (800) 669-9777 (voice) or (800) 877-8339 (Relay) or at hud.gov/fairhousing.