Parry will pay $350,000 to fund retrofits at eight Pennsylvania properties, $75,000 to a settlement fund to compensate individuals harmed by inaccessible housing, and $25,000 to the government as a civil penalty to vindicate the public interest, according to the consent order approved by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The upgrades will make the kitchens and bathrooms in these properties more accessible and usable, among other things. Previously, the department settled its claims against defendant LifeQuest Nursing Center, the developer and owner of one of the properties. The department's lawsuit against the owners of the other properties will proceed unaffected by these settlements.
"The Justice Department is committed to vigorously enforcing federal laws that guarantee people with disabilities equal access to housing," said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department. This settlement should serve as a reminder to architects and developers across the country that they must comply with federally mandated accessibility requirements, including those governing senior housing."
The consent order requires Parry to contribute funds toward retrofits and to compensate people who have been harmed as a result of these properties' inaccessible conditions:
- Hanover and Bethlehem traditions Pennsylvania
- Boyertown, Pennsylvania's Chestnut Knoll
- Douglasville, Pennsylvania's Keystone Villa
- Harleysville, Pennsylvania's Arbour Square
- Hershey's Traditions, Hershey, Pennsylvania
- Newtown, Pennsylvania's The Birches
- Cedar Views Apartments are located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- Quakertown, Pennsylvania's Lifequest Nursing Center Addition
Individuals who believe they or someone they know may have experienced difficulties as a result of the inaccessible conditions at any of these properties should contact the Justice Department via e-mail at fairhousing@usdoj.gov or leave a message at 1-833-591-0291 and select option numbers (1-4-1).
The Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department enforces the FHA, which prohibits housing discrimination based on disability, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, or familial status. This law requires basic accessible features in multifamily housing buildings with four or more units built after March 13, 1991. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), enacted in 1990, requires that places of public accommodation, such as rental offices in multifamily housing complexes built after January 26, 1993, be accessible to people with disabilities.