New Hampshire Property Managers and Landlord Charged with Discrimination

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has accused Greenview Associates L.P., Palmer Asset Management, LLC, and their landlord John Martin, from Manchester, New Hampshire, of breaking the law. They reportedly discriminated against a tenant by evicting them unfairly.

Here’s what happened: After the tenant filed a complaint about housing discrimination to HUD, the landlord and property managers did a background check on them, something they don’t usually do for current tenants. They then tried to evict the tenant based on something from long ago they found from the check.

It's illegal under the Fair Housing Act to evict tenants in retaliation for complaining about discrimination. Diane M. Shelley, from HUD, emphasized that any act of retaliation like this is against the law and that today’s action against these managers and landlord shows HUD’s commitment to protect the rights of tenants. Damon Smith, another HUD official, reiterated that landlords must not retaliate against tenants for asserting their rights.

The case will go to a U.S. Administrative Law Judge unless the parties decide to take it to federal district court. If the judge finds that discrimination did take place, the tenant could receive damages for their losses, and the judge might also impose penalties on the landlord to prevent further discrimination and cover legal fees.

Check Out: HUD Acts to Help People with Disabilities Live in the Community

For more details on what counts as discriminatory eviction, HUD has a helpful fact sheet. If you think you’re facing housing discrimination, you can call HUD at (800) 669-9777 or visit their websites at www.hud.gov/fairhousing and www.justice.gov. Assistance in other languages is available.

HUD's overarching mission is to foster inclusive communities and supply affordable, quality homes for everyone. More information about HUD's work can be found on their website or their Spanish portal at https://espanol.hud.gov. You can follow HUD’s updates on Twitter, Facebook, or through their email alerts.

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