Filed Date: Sept. 17, 1992
Closed Date: March 3, 1999
Clearinghouse coding complete
The Department of Justice filed both its complaint and consent decree against the Defendant-lender in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia on March 17, 1992. The DOJ alleged that Decatur Federal S&L had violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA), 42 U.S.C. 3601-3619, and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, 15 U.S.C. 1691(a)(1), by intentionally avoiding non-white neighborhoods in Atlanta when expanding its business in the years since fair housing and lending statutes were enacted. In support of its contention, the DOJ alleged in its Complaint that the Defendant did not operate any branch offices in predominantly minority areas in the Atlanta area, did not advertise in minority community media, and almost exclusively hired white employees to market loans to prospective customers.
Under the consent decree entered into by the parties, Decatur Federal agreed to continue and expand its affirmative marketing, advertising, and other mortgage lending outreach programs; to revise the delineation of its lending community under the Community Reinvestment Act; to establish and implement criteria to ensure against any discrimination in its branch activities; to ensure the fair and nondiscriminatory consideration of all mortgage loan applicants; and to continue to monitor its own performance to assure a mortgage lending program free of racial discrimination. Decatur Federal also placed $1,000,000.00 in a Consent Decree Fund to be administered by the United States and distributed to persons whom the United States has identified to as being allegedly aggrieved persons under the Fair Housing Act and Equal Credit Opportunity Act. The consent decree continued until March 3, 1999, when it was dismissed by U.S. District Court Judge Charles A. Moye, Jr.
Summary Authors
Andrew Nash (6/2/2008)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/9524904/parties/united-states-v-decatur-federal-sl/
Anderson, Curtis Eugene (Georgia)
Barr, William P. (District of Columbia)
Dunne, John R. (District of Columbia)
Griffen, Howard (District of Columbia)
Alexander, Kent B. (Georgia)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/9524904/united-states-v-decatur-federal-sl/
Last updated April 19, 2025, 9:21 a.m.
State / Territory: Georgia
Case Type(s):
Fair Housing/Lending/Insurance
Special Collection(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: Sept. 17, 1992
Closing Date: March 3, 1999
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
The USA on behalf of those allegedly discriminated against by Decatur Federal due to discriminatory lending practices on the basis of race via home mortgage marketing that excluded potential black borrowers, as well as other discriminatory practices.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Attorney Organizations:
U.S. Dept. of Justice Civil Rights Division
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Decatur Federal Savings and Loan Association, Private Entity/Person
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Fair Housing Act/Fair Housing Amendments Act (FHAA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 3601 et seq.
Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), 15 U.S.C. § 1691
Available Documents:
Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree
Order Duration: 1992 - 1999
Issues
Discrimination Area:
Discrimination Basis:
Affected Race(s):