Families with Children Victimized by Longview Landlords
A Longview, Washington apartment complex has agreed to pay $12,500 in civil penalties to settle allegations that they discriminated against families with children in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act.
The settlement must be approved by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. The alleged discriminatory practices were uncovered through the Justice Department’s Fair Housing Testing Program, which involves individuals posing as renters to gather information about possible discriminatory practices.
The owners and manager of Mountain View Apartments, Marilyn Heim, Gene Krause, Sylvia Krause, Richard Trull, Melanie Trull, and their general partnership, Trull and Krause, were named as defendants in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleges that the defendants stated and maintained a policy of not renting apartments to families with children in one or more of the seven buildings at Mountain View. This policy is a clear violation of the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of several protected characteristics, including familial status.
As part of the settlement, the defendants will be required to obtain training in the Fair Housing Act for themselves and their employees, adopt a non-discrimination policy making clear that families with children may reside in every building on a non-discriminatory basis, and submit periodic reports to the United States for monitoring purposes.
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin and disability. For more information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces, visit www.usdoj.gov/crt.
Persons who believe they have experienced or witnessed unlawful housing discrimination may call the Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743, email the Justice Department at fairhousing@usdoj.gov, or contact HUD at 1-800-669-9777.
Fighting illegal housing discrimination is a top priority of the Justice Department. The settlement should serve as a warning to other property owners and managers not to discriminate against families with children.
Mandatory Facts:
Defendant: Marilyn Heim, Gene Krause, Sylvia Krause, Richard Trull, Melanie Trull, and Trull and Krause
Criminal Charges: Violation of the federal Fair Housing Act
City and State: Longview, Washington
Date: April 2023
Sentence or Outcome: $12,500 civil penalty, training in the Fair Housing Act, adoption of a non-discrimination policy, and submission of periodic reports
Dollar Amounts: $12,500
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Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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