Dawn Properties Inc. Faces Disability-Based Discrimination Lawsuit
A Mississippi-based developer is facing a lawsuit for allegedly violating the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. According to the Justice Department, Dawn Properties Inc. and its affiliated companies designed and constructed several residential properties with barriers that make them inaccessible to persons with disabilities.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Gulfport, Mississippi, alleges that The Lexington, The Beach Club, The Belmont, Grand Biscayne, and Inn by the Sea have significant barriers, including steps leading to building entrances, non-existent or excessively sloped pedestrian routes from apartment units to site amenities, insufficient maneuvering space for wheelchairs in bathrooms and kitchens, excessively high light switches and environmental controls, and inaccessible parking.
‘For over two decades, the Fair Housing Act and ADA have required those who design and build multifamily housing complexes to make them accessible to persons with disabilities,’ said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jocelyn Samuels. ‘When residential complexes are built with steps but without ramps or other means of access for wheelchair users, Americans with disabilities are denied the basic right to equal housing opportunities.’
The suit seeks a court order requiring the defendants to bring properties they have designed and constructed since 1991 into compliance with the FHA and the ADA, as well as monetary damages for persons harmed by the lack of accessibility and civil penalties to the United States.
‘When a developer fails to comply with the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, it deprives those with disabilities of their fundamental right to live and raise families in the environment of their choosing,’ said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis.
Anyone with information about the inaccessible conditions at these properties should call the Justice Department at 1-800-896-7743, and follow the prompts to enter mailbox 997.
Related Federal Cases
- Laurel Man Stole $214K in Disability Benefits · Mississippi
- Army Families Ripped Off: $31M Kickback · Mississippi
- Ski Mask Bandit Carjacker Jailed for Nine Years · Mississippi
- Madman Burns Mormon Church, Sentenced to 30 Years · Mississippi
- Arson Attack on Jewish Institutions: Teen Held for Beth Israel Blaze · Mississippi
Key Facts
- State: Mississippi
- Category: Public Corruption|Disability-Based Discrimination
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
