Fair Hous. Council of Orange County, Inc. v. Brown

No. CV-02-5093 (CTx) (C.D. Cal., filed Nov. 27, 2002) ; Clearinghouse Number: 55053

Description

Mobile Home Park Owners Agree to Pay Plaintiffs $190,000 and Refrain from Familial-Status Discrimination

Abstract

The parties agreed to a settlement in this action alleging that defendants violated the federal Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 3613 et seq., by discriminating against families with children in the rental of housing at defendants’ mobile home park. Plaintiffs, a local fair housing council and an individual who owned a mobile home in defendants’ park, filed their complaint in federal court against owners of three mobile home parks in Orange County, California. They alleged that when owner decided to sell her mobile home, potential sales to purchasers with children were frustrated by defendants’ refusal to rent spaces to such families. They further alleged that owner then sought help from plaintiff fair housing council, which conducted an investigation that confirmed defendants’ discriminatory practices. In their complaint, plaintiffs claimed violations of the Fair Housing Act and the state fair housing, civil rights, and unfair business practices acts. Under the settlement, defendants agree, among other provisions, to pay plaintiffs $190,000, including attorney fees and costs, to purchase owner’s home for $20,000, to refrain from engaging in unlawful discrimination, to revise their rules to delete unlawful discriminatory conditions, and to conduct fair housing training for their employees.

Additional Information

Attorney Information
Plaintiff represented by Christopher Brancart, Brancart & Brancart, P.O. Box 686, Pescadero, CA 94060 (650.879.0141); D. Elizabeth Pierson, Fair Housing Council of Orange County, Inc., 201 S. Broadway, Santa Ana, CA 92701 (714.569.0825)
Docket Date
2002-11-27 00:00:00+00:00