FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 30, 2024
Civil Rights Group Resolves Litigation Alleging Voucher Discrimination Through Collaboration Agreement with District Housing Provider
Today, the Equal Rights Center (ERC) announced that it resolved its lawsuit against 950 South Capitol Owner LLC, 23 I LLC, Related Companies, L.P., and Related Management Company, L.P. (10K/One Hill South Owners) by entering into a collaboration agreement that requires policy changes, training, and compliance testing. The agreement was designed to ensure Related Companies’ tenant screening policies and practices in D.C. align with local prohibitions on discrimination against voucher holders. In January 2024, ERC filed a lawsuit, linked here, in D.C. Superior Court alleging that 10K/One Hill South Owners have a policy or practice of discriminating against voucher holders, in violation of the D.C. Human Rights Act (DCHRA) and the D.C. Consumer Protection Procedures Act (DCCPPA).
The collaboration agreement announced today lasts for three years and applies to all multi-family rental properties in D.C. for which 10K/One Hill South Owners are the leasing agent or property manager. As part of the agreement, 10K/One Hill South Owners will:
- Affirmatively display signage at all D.C. properties and rental offices that its properties accept voucher holders, and that it is illegal to discriminate based on any protected class under federal, state and local law.
- Require leasing agents and property management staff to attend ERC fair housing training;
- Undergo regular compliance testing conducted by the ERC;
- Pay $90,000 to ERC, which includes compensation for damages, attorneys’ fees, and the cost of future training and compliance testing;
- Affirm and distribute a non-discrimination policy; and,
- Designate a Housing Choice Voucher liaison and ensure they have training about the Housing Choice Voucher Program. The liaison will be available to answer housing inquiries from voucher holders.
ERC Executive Director Kate Scott comments, “Making sure that D.C. landlords understand and comply with local laws against voucher discrimination continues to be a top priority in a place so deeply scarred by the harms of residential segregation. We appreciate Related Companies’ willingness to come to the table and work with us to achieve these objectives by entering into today’s agreement.”
The Housing Choice Voucher Program is a federally funded housing subsidy program that currently provides rental and housing assistance to approximately two million low-income families in the U.S., including about 11,500 families in the District. The program’s intent is to eliminate barriers that would restrict low-income families from securing housing in high opportunity neighborhoods—areas with increased access to public transportation, grocery stores, and well-performing schools—but source of income discrimination hinders the program’s potential.
In 2022, The D.C. Council amended the DCHRA to prohibit landlords from refusing to rent to applicants who use housing vouchers based on the applicant’s income level, credit score, or lack of credit score. Additionally, since a voucher fundamentally alters its recipient’s economic reality, the law also prohibits landlords from considering prior nonpayment, late payment of rent, or any credit issues that arose during a period in which the applicant did not have a voucher.
The ERC was represented in this matter by Handley Farah & Anderson.
The collaboration agreement is available here.
CONTACT:
Kate Scott, Executive Director
Equal Rights Center
kscott@equalrightscenter.org, (202) 370-3220
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ABOUT THE EQUAL RIGHTS CENTER: The ERC is a civil rights organization that identifies and seeks to eliminate unlawful and unfair discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations in its home community of Greater Washington D.C. and nationwide. The ERC’s core strategy for identifying unlawful and unfair discrimination is civil rights testing. When the ERC identifies discrimination, it seeks to eliminate it through the use of testing data to educate the public and business community, support policy advocacy, conduct compliance testing and training, and, if necessary, take enforcement action. For more information, please visit www.equalrightscenter.org.
ABOUT HANDLEY FARAH & ANDERSON: Handley Farah & Anderson are lawyers who seek to improve the world. Based in Washington, D.C., they fight for: workers deprived of wages, consumers deceived about products, tenants denied access to housing, farmers mistreated by processors, parents deprived of adequate parental leave, investors who were defrauded, small businesses harmed by antitrust violations, persons with disabilities denied access, whistleblowers who uncover fraud, and women and communities of color subject to discrimination.
