ERC News

The ERC has launched a full investigation into the legality of the Manassas ordinance, and whether it illegally generates disparate impact on Latinos or any other group of Manassas residents.

· Website Message Upsets Some (Potomac News, 3/9/06)

· Anti-Crowding Law Repealed (Washington Post, 1/12/06)

· Ordinance Enforcement Suspended (Potomac News, 1/6/06)

· Va. City Suspends “Family: Rule (Washington Post, 1/5/06)

· Manassas Ordinance Raises Cries of Bigotry (Washington Post, 1/1/06)

· Activists Prepare to Challenge Va. Zoning Ordinance (WTOP, 1/1/06)

General Housing: ERC Donates Staff Time to New Orleans

In an effort to fight housing discrimination in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the ERC has dedicated two staff members to work with the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center. The staff members, Michael Caesar and Rebecca Crootof, will each work out of the GNOFHAC offices for two weeks at a time, and will focus on investigating and testing in the region.

· Washington, D.C.’s Equal Rights Center Lends a Helping Hand—4 to be exact (Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Update, 12/4/05)

Disability: Washington Hospital Center Press Release

This agreement represents the resolution of a lawsuit filed on November 25, 2003, by the Disability Rights Council of Greater Washington (now the ERC), and four former patients who experienced inadequate care, services and facilities at the Hospital Center.

· Landmark Settlement for Patients with Disabilities Among First of Its Kind under ADA (civilrights.org, 12/12/05)

· DOJ Announces Two Settlements Over Disabled Access to Health Facilities (Health Law Reporter, 11/10/05)

· Washington Hospital Center Settles Lawsuit, Agrees to Changes (Washington Business Journal, 11/3/05)

· Suit Wins Changes for Disabled at Hospital (Washington Post, 11/3/05)

· Washington Hospital Center Settles Lawsuit (ABC 7 News, 11/2/05)

Disability: AvalonBay Communities Press Release

On September 22, 2005, the Equal Rights Center filed a complaint in federal court in Maryland on behalf of people with disabilities against national apartment developer AvalonBay Communities. The complaint alleges that AvalonBay has engaged in continuous and systematic violations of the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

· More Apartment Landlords Are Likely to Face Disability-Access Suits (The Wall Street Journal Online, 11/16/05)

· Rights Group Sues AvalonBay (The Journal News, 9/24/05)

· Alexandria Builder Sued Over Access by Disabled (Washington Post, 9/23/05)

Disability: The Bozzuto Group Press Release

On September 15, 2005, the Equal Rights Center filed a complaint in federal court in Maryland on behalf of people with disabilities against local apartment developer The Bozzuto Group alleging continuous and systematic violations of the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

· Builder Violated Disability Rights, Suit Says (Washington Post, 9/16/05)

· Group Sues Builder Under Fair Housing Act (Associated Press, 9/16/05)

· Maryland Developer Sued for Inaccessible Buildings (ABC 7 News, 9/16/05)

Disability: Archstone-Smith Press Release

On December 20, 2004, the Equal Rights Center filed a complaint in federal court in Maryland on behalf of people with disabilities against national apartment developer Archstone-Smith Trust. This case settled June 8, 2005.

· Developer to Modify Units to Aid Disabled (Washington Post, 6/9/05)

· Developer to Fix Flaws Hampering Disabled (Baltimore Sun, 6/9/05)

· Housing Firm to Improve Access (Denver Post, 6/9/05)

· Colorado Real Estate Trust Settles Civil Rights Suit (The Boston Globe, 6/9/05)

· Archstone-Smith Settles Civil Rights Suit (Rocky Mountain News, 6/9/05)

· Historic Settlement In Nationwide Disability Discrimination Lawsuit Against Developer Archstone-Smith Trust (American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) Press Release, 6/8/05)

· Building Defects to be Fixed for Disabled (Associated Press, 6/8/05)

· Archstone-Smith Settles Suit for $20M (Denver Business Journal, 6/8/05)

· Disability Advocacy Groups Sue Denver-Based REIT Over Apartment Access (RIS Media, 12/23/04)

Source of Income

On April 11, 2005, the Equal Rights Center, in cooperation with the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, and the law offices of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld as well as Steptoe & Johnson and McDermott, Will & Emory, filed civil rights lawsuits against three of the largest D.C. landlords and property management companies. These actions allege discrimination based on source of income and race against tenants with Housing Choice Vouchers, formerly referred to as Section 8 vouchers, in the District of Columbia.

· Bias Against Vouchers Alleged (The Washington Post, 9/9/05)

· D.C. Landlords Sued Over Rent Vouchers: Poor are Rejected, Rights Group Says (The Washington Post, 4/12/05)

· Landlords Accused of Rejecting Vouchers (ABC 7 News, 4/11/05)

· Landlords Accused of Rejecting Vouchers: Test Calls Sought District Housing (The Washington Post, 4/11/05)

Language Access/National Origin

· Language Discrimination Hinders Access to Health Care for Latinos (The NewStandard, 2/9/05)

· Experiment Faults D.C.’s Welfare Guidance: Human Services Agency More Often Failed Spanish Speakers, Rights Group Says (The Washington Post, 1/31/05)

Familial Status

· HUD Settles Investigation of Falls Church and Condo Developers: Agreement Protects Families with Children (HUD News Release, 11/19/04)