Justice Department news release. See complaint here.
The U.S. Department of Justice today filed a lawsuit against the Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport (HACB), doing business as Park City Communities. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, alleges that HACB discriminated against persons with disabilities in violation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Fair Housing Act.
HACB owns and manages more than 2,600 units of public housing and administers more than 2,800 vouchers under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD’s) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. The lawsuit arose from a compliance review initiated by HUD. After issuing a determination of noncompliance and attempting resolution, HUD referred the case to the Justice Department.
The complaint alleges that HACB failed to properly process, decide, and fulfill requests for reasonable accommodations for tenants with disabilities over at least two years. Federal law requires HACB to provide reasonable accommodations, such as physical modifications to public housing units, changes to program rules, or transfers to appropriate housing, when requested to meet a tenant or applicant’s disability-related needs. The complaint also alleges that HACB failed to provide a sufficient number of public housing units that are accessible to tenants with mobility, vision, or hearing-related disabilities.
“Tenants with disabilities deserve the same opportunity to use and enjoy their homes as everyone else,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John M. Gore of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This lawsuit seeks to ensure that HACB provides reasonable accommodations and accessible housing as required by federal law.”
“The complaint alleges that HACB ignored requests for reasonable accommodation from tenants with disabilities, failed to adequately communicate with tenants with disabilities, and failed to provide a sufficient number of accessible housing units,” said U.S. Attorney John H. Durham. “The government filed this complaint after multiple unsuccessful attempts to resolve this matter with HACB. Individuals with disabilities deserve public housing administrators that make life easier for them, not more difficult.”
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages to compensate victims, a court order requiring HACB to remedy past and prevent further discrimination, and a civil penalty. The case is being jointly handled by the department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut. The complaint is an allegation of unlawful conduct. The allegations must still be proven in federal court.
Individuals who may have been victims of discrimination by HACB or who have information relevant to this case are encouraged to contact the Civil Rights Division at 1-800-896-7743, mailbox number 992, or by email at fairhousing@usdoj.gov. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the civil rights laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
Oh well, only in Bridgeport.
TRUE THAT MR.MACKEY
The Department of Justice doesn’t file frivolous endictments. HACB is a target acquired.
The Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport has been playing musical chairs with executive directors and for board members for years under Mayor Ganim JG1 and JG2, Fabrizi and Finch, so there is no big surprise.
No, Ron, that’s nothing new. The federal indictments are.
Ganim 1 & 2, Finch, Fabrizi, et al, have used the Housing Authority and the school system to repay political favors such as jobs, service contracts, etc.
Contacted both numbers/addresses on the first day. No word yet from DOJ. Maybe the “mills of the Gods” are working overtime these days. There are certainly cases of failure to provide reasonable service to those in the PCC system, much less reasonable accommodation. Why are the customers treated without respect? Where are employees evaluated on the work they produce and the results they can account for? Time will tell.