Fair Housing Update: January 2007

Washington State
FAIR HOUSING UPDATE

Fair Housing Center of Washington
2005/2006 HIGHLIGHTS

In working toward our mission to ensure equal access to housing and other related services for residents of Washington, the Fair Housing Center of Washington (FHC) has had the following successes …

Settlement of lawsuit against Western World Insurance Company involving alleged housing discrimination based on disability in homeowners insurance. The lawsuit, brought by FHC, Fair Housing of Oregon, and private plaintiffs, exposed and ended the company's practice of terminating and refusing to renew insurance coverage for adult family homes serving people with mental illnesses. A settlement fund was established for the Washington and Oregon adult family homes which received termination notices between 2002 and 2004. The federal court soundly rejected Western World's argument that the Fair Housing Act did not apply to the type of insurance coverage offered.
Reasonable accommodation and modifications granted. A Tacoma resident with multiple sclerosis contacted FHC for assistance because his landlord refused to address the mold and mushrooms growing out of his carpet due to a water leak. FHC intervened and the property reframed his sliding door, which was the source of the water entering the unit, and new carpet was installed.
Secured housing for homeless woman in Tacoma. FHC was contacted by a community member with physical and mental disabilities who had sought assistance from various homeless shelters. She was told by one shelter, "You're too disabled to be here." Another shelter denied her reasonable accommodation request to have a bed assignment on the first floor because she cannot climb stairs. FHC intervened and the woman was admitted to a shelter. Once in the shelter, she became eligible for transitional housing. She is no longer homeless.
Harassment toward Russian families ceased. A new manager at an apartment complex in Kent was allegedly not renewing the leases of Russian families. The harassment included approaching the children at the school bus stop and stating, "I'm going to get you out of here." Three families contacted FHC. FHC contacted the apartment complex and as a result the harassment and non-renewal of leases ceased.
Settlement of race complaint based on testing evidence. FHC filed a complaint against a Snohomish County apartment complex after housing discrimination testing revealed that Caucasian applicants were being treated more favorably than African American applicants. The settlement included monetary relief, mandatory testing, and fair housing training for employees.

Resident assigned a reserved parking stall. A resident of a Federal Way apartment complex who uses a wheelchair contacted FHC. Due to his severe mobility issues, the resident made a reasonable accommodation request for a reserved handicap parking stall. The manager responded by saying, "Go across the street and park at Walmart." After FHC intervened, the accommodation was granted.

Grant awarded. FHC was one of only thirteen agencies in the country awarded a three-year Fair Housing Initiatives Program grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Fair Housing Center of Washington
1517 S. Fawcett, Suite 250
Tacoma, WA 98402
253-274-9523 or Toll Free 1-888-766-8800, FAX: 253-274-8220
E-mail: info@fhcwashington.org
Web: www.fhcwashington.org

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Updated: Jan. 12, 2007

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