Its discrimination based on familial status for a landlord to say that a family may not use a den or a loft as a bedroom for their kids. Read about a new FHCCI case below: Today, the Connecticut Fair Housing Center (CFHC), the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana (FHCCI), and the Miami Valley Fair Housing Center (MVFHC) announce that they have filed a fair housing complaint against TGM Associates, a New York-based property management company that owns and operates apartment complexes throughout the United States. The groups allege that TGM has engaged in systemic discrimination against families with children across five properties evaluated in three states. “It’s been over 20 years since the federal Fair Housing Act was amended to protect families from discrimination,” said Amy Nelson, Executive Director of the FHCCI. “It’s disappointing and frustrating that we still find housing providers enacting written policies to prevent families with children from enjoying their right to equal housing.” In the filed complaint, TGM Associates is alleged to have a stated occupancy standard of no more than two people per bedroom in each apartment, regardless of the unit’s square footage or whether that unit has a den, office, loft, or other feature that could provide an additional bedroom or living area for a child. TGM enforces this policy without regard to local health codes that state the square footage required for each occupant. In every property evaluated by the fair housing groups, TGM was found to have denied housing to families with children despite the apartments having ample square footage allowed by local codes for the family size. The CFHC, FHCCI, and MVFHC conducted a joint systemic investigation into the five TGM properties located in their respective states. The complaint alleges that every apartment complex that was evaluated was found to have unlawfully refused to rent units to families with children. Such overly restrictive occupancy standards impact the ability of families with children to find affordable, safe housing in neighborhoods of their choice. “Often, investigations into housing discrimination uncover subtle and difficult to detect unlawful behavior,” stated Erin Kemple, Executive Director of CFHC. “Each test performed at a TGM property, however; ended in a clear and blatant statement from an employee that a family with children was not permitted to rent the unit that they had inquired about. This is not only unacceptable; it’s illegal.” The properties named in the complaint are TGM Waterford Commons in Manchester, Connecticut; TGM Avalon Lake, TGM Shadeland Station, and TGM Autumn Woods in Indianapolis, Indiana; and TGM Meadow View in Columbus, Ohio. “Where a family lives dictates the parents’ access to employment, the children’s access to good schools, and the family’s access to grocery stores, healthcare, and other vital services,” said Jim McCarthy, President and CEO of the Miami Valley Fair Housing Center. “TGM Associates’ refusal to rent to families with children is a deliberate denial of their right to choose the community that best serves their needs.” The Connecticut Fair Housing Center was founded in 1994 and located in Hartford, CT. Its mission is to ensure that all people have equal access to housing opportunities in Connecticut. More information on the CFHC at: ctfairhousing.org The Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana (FHCCI) is a private, nonprofit fair housing organization founded in 2011 and based in Indianapolis, IN. Its mission is to ensure equal housing opportunities by eliminating housing discrimination through advocacy, enforcement, education and outreach. More information on the FHCCI at: fhcci.org The Miami Valley Fair Housing Center (MVFHC) is headquartered in Dayton, OH. Its mission is to eliminate housing discrimination and ensure equal housing opportunity for all people in our region. More information on the MVFHC at: mvfairhousing
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 17:53:07 +0000