HUD REACHES SETTLEMENT WITH CALIFORNIA HOUSING PROVIDERS RESOLVING CLAIMS OF NATIONAL ORIGIN DISCRIMINATION

摘要

HUD has reached a Conciliation/Voluntary Compliance Agreement with Cascade Village Apartments II, LP, in Sacramento, CA, its management company, FPI Management, Inc., (FPI), and FPI's portfolio manager resolving allegations that they violated the Fair Housing Act and Title Ⅵ of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In particular, respondents allegedly failed to provide language access services to Vietnamese residents and retaliated against a Cascade Village employee for advocating for residents with limited English proficiency to receive oral interpretation services and translated vital documents. The Fair Housing Act prohibits housing providers from discriminating against persons based on their national origin. This includes aiding others in the exercise or enjoyment of their fair housing rights. Additionally, Title Ⅵ of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of national origin by recipients of federal financial assistance, and requires such recipients to take reasonable steps to ensure meaningful access for limited English proficient (LEP) persons. The case came to HUD's attention when an agent at Cascade Village Apartments, which receives HUD funding, filed a complaint alleging that the owners and managers of the property failed to provide language access services to the complex's Vietnamese residents and retaliated against an employee because she advocated for the housing providers to provide language services to LEP residents.