An Inaccessible Housing Lawsuit Is Settled
The Justice Department announced on Friday that the developer and owners of eight senior living complexes in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee have agreed to pay $450,000 to settle claims that they violated the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act by failing to build these properties with required accessible features for people with disabilities.
As part of the settlement, the defendants agreed to make substantial retrofits to remove accessibility barriers at the complexes, including more than 1,500 units.
Under the consent order that was approved by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, Dominion Management LLC and its affiliate companies will pay all costs related to the retrofits, $400,000 into a settlement fund to compensate individuals harmed by the inaccessible housing and $50,000 in civil penalties to the government. The defendants also will undergo training, ensure that any future construction complies with federal accessibility laws and make periodic reports to the Justice Department.
