Case: United States v. Housing Authority of the City of Royston

3:10-cv-00075 | U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia

Filed Date: Sept. 27, 2010

Closed Date: 2015

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

On September 27, 2010, the United States filed a lawsuit under the Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. §3601 against the City of Royston, Georgia and the Housing Authority of the City of Royston, Georgia ("RHA") in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. The Plaintiff alleged that the Defendants engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination based on race or color in the rental of RHA units. Specifically, the Plaintiff alleged the Defendants steered applicants based on…

On September 27, 2010, the United States filed a lawsuit under the Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. §3601 against the City of Royston, Georgia and the Housing Authority of the City of Royston, Georgia ("RHA") in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. The Plaintiff alleged that the Defendants engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination based on race or color in the rental of RHA units. Specifically, the Plaintiff alleged the Defendants steered applicants based on race or color to segregated areas of the RHA complexes, and admitted white applicants ahead of eligible applicants of color who had higher places on the waiting list when there were vacancies in predominately white complexes, to avoid housing black and white tenants together.

Two days later, on September 29, 2010, the Court (Judge Clay) approved a five-year Consent Decree agreed to by the parties. In addition to general prohibitions against race and color discrimination, the Decree required development and distribution of a detailed non-discrimination policy covering all aspects of (1) receiving, handling, processing, rejecting, and approving rental inquiries and applications made in-person, by telephone, or by other means; (2) assigning prospective tenants to new units; (3) transferring existing tenants to different units; and (4) providing services to tenants. All involved employees were to be trained and were required to acknowledge that they received, understood, and agreed to abide by policy's requirements. The decree provided for reporting to and monitoring by the Justice Department to assure compliance, and established a $270,000 settlement fund to compensate aggrieved parties.

The decree ended in 2015 without any further litigation. The case is now closed.

Summary Authors

Stacey McClurkin (12/21/2011)

People


Judge(s)

Land, Clay D. (Georgia)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Aderhold, Hugh Randolph Jr. (Georgia)

Bond, Rebecca B. (District of Columbia)

Majeed, Sameena Shina (District of Columbia)

Attorney for Defendant

Green, Michael S. (Georgia)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

3:10-cv-00075

Docket

United States v. Housing Authority of City of Royston, Georgia

Sept. 27, 2010

Sept. 27, 2010

Docket
1

3:10-cv-00075

Complaint

United States v. Housing Authority of the City of Royston, Georgia

Sept. 27, 2010

Sept. 27, 2010

Complaint
5

3:10-cv-00075

Consent Decree

Sept. 29, 2010

Sept. 29, 2010

Settlement Agreement

Resources

Docket

Last updated March 17, 2024, 3:11 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT against United States of America, Housing Authority of the City of Royston Georgia,filed by United States of America. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet)(ggs) (Entered: 09/27/2010)

Sept. 27, 2010

Sept. 27, 2010

2

MOTION for Settlement Motion for Entry of Consent Decree by United States of America filed by Sameena Shina Majeed. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order Proposed Consent Decree)(Majeed, Sameena) (MOTION TERMINATED PER ERROR NOTICE − MUST BE RE−FILED) (Entered: 09/27/2010)

Sept. 27, 2010

Sept. 27, 2010

3

Notice of Error in Filing (related document(s): 2 Motion for Settlement filed by United States of America ). (ggs) (Entered: 09/27/2010)

Sept. 27, 2010

Sept. 27, 2010

5

ORDER/CONSENT DECREE granting 4 Motion for Settlement. Ordered by Judge Clay D. Land on 9/29/2010 (ggs) (Entered: 09/29/2010)

Sept. 29, 2010

Sept. 29, 2010

6

MOTION Motion to Approve Joint Recommendation on Distribution of Settlement Fund by UNITED STATES OF AMERICA filed by Sameena Shina Majeed. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D)(Majeed, Sameena) ***MOTION TERMINATED PER ERROR NOTICE*** (Entered: 10/03/2011)

Oct. 3, 2011

Oct. 3, 2011

7

Notice of Error in Filing (related document(s): 6 Motion for Miscellaneous Relief filed by UNITED STATES OF AMERICA). (ggs) (Entered: 10/06/2011)

Oct. 6, 2011

Oct. 6, 2011

8

MOTION Motion to Approve Joint Recommendation Regarding Distribution of Settlement Fund by UNITED STATES OF AMERICA filed by Sameena Shina Majeed. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order, # 2 Exhibit A, # 3 Exhibit B, # 4 Exhibit C, # 5 Exhibit D)(Majeed, Sameena) (Entered: 10/06/2011)

Oct. 6, 2011

Oct. 6, 2011

9

ORDER granting 8 Motion to Approve Joint Recommendation Regarding Distribution of the Settlement Fund. Ordered by Judge Clay D. Land on 10/11/2011. (ggs) (Entered: 10/11/2011)

Oct. 11, 2011

Oct. 11, 2011

Case Details

State / Territory: Georgia

Case Type(s):

Fair Housing/Lending/Insurance

Key Dates

Filing Date: Sept. 27, 2010

Closing Date: 2015

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

United States Department of Justice

Plaintiff Type(s):

U.S. Dept of Justice plaintiff

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

Housing Authority of the City of Royston, GA (Royston), None

City of Royston, GA (Royston), City

Case Details

Causes of Action:

Fair Housing Act/Fair Housing Amendments Act (FHAA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 3601 et seq.

Available Documents:

Trial Court Docket

Monetary Relief

Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Damages

Source of Relief:

Settlement

Form of Settlement:

Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree

Amount Defendant Pays: 270,000

Order Duration: 2010 - 2015

Issues

General:

Racial segregation

Discrimination-area:

Housing Sales/Rental

Steering

Discrimination-basis:

Race discrimination

Race:

Black