Ashley Butler and the Fair Housing Partnership of Greater Pittsburgh filed a fair housing complaint arguing the disparate impact on women who are disproportionately survivors of domestic violence in the refusal to terminate a lease without penalty.
U.S. District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan denied the Motion to Dismiss in its entirety. His decision affirmed the use of disparate impact for arguing sex discrimination for survivors of domestic violence who statistics show are disproportionately women. Further, he upheld that an individual, such as a property manager, is liable for their acts of housing discrimination and that the property owner is vicariously liable for acts of housing discrimination by their employees.
The conciliation includes a new lease provision for use by the private landlord that allows lease termination for survivors of domestic violence and removes their liability for property damage inflicted by the abuser as well as $12,500 in financial compensation.
Press release: Butler FHP_Sundo Capital LLC Conciliation Press Release
Conciliation: SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT AND RELEASE_Final as agreed_Fully Executed
Judge’s Decision on the Motion to Dismiss: 023 2021-09-10 Opinion Denying Motion to Dismiss
Filing: 01 2020.10.23 Verified Complaint