
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff,
and
GERALD OSBORN, and SUSAN
OSBORN PLUMMER,
Plaintiffs/Intervenors,
v.
BLUEBERRY HILL ASSOCIATES,
L.P.; COSTICH ENGINEERING;
and PASSERO ASSOCIATES, P.C.;
Defendants.
_______________________________Defendant Blueberry Hill Associates, L.P., shall be responsible for taking all corrective actions pertinent to the public and common use areas at Blueberry Hill, including sidewalks, parking, and ramps, as follows:
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff,
and
GERALD OSBORN, and SUSAN
OSBORN PLUMMER,
Plaintiffs/Intervenors,
v.
BLUEBERRY HILL ASSOCIATES,
L.P.; COSTICH ENGINEERING;
and PASSERO ASSOCIATES, P.C.;
Defendants.
____________________________________Defendant Blueberry Hill Associates, L.P., shall be responsible for taking all corrective actions pertinent to the ground floor units at Blueberry Hill, as follows:
In all units, the change in level at patio door ranges between 6" and 30". (3)
Electrical outlets mounted below 15". (4)
In all units, there do not appear to be reinforcements in bathroom walls to allow later installation of grab bars. (5)
In all units, the kitchens lack sufficiently wide clear floor space centered on the oven/cooktop for a parallel approach by a wheelchair user, in that the clear space for the is off center by 8".
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff,
and
GERALD OSBORN, and SUSAN
OSBORN PLUMMER,
Plaintiffs/Intervenors,
v.
BLUEBERRY HILL ASSOCIATES,
L.P.; COSTICH ENGINEERING;
and PASSERO ASSOCIATES, P.C.;
Defendants.
__________________________________Dear Tenant,
This is to advise you that, as a result of a settlement in a case brought by the United States against the owners of this apartment complex, we have agreed to modify the ground floor units at Blueberry Hill to provide greater accessibility for people with disabilities. Your unit is one of those that does not meet the accessible and adaptive design requirements of the Fair Housing Act.
Although your apartment unit will be retrofitted automatically after your tenancy ends, we want you to know that you may request to have your apartment modified now at no cost to you. The actual work will take no longer than _____ days and we will provide you with comparable alternative living arrangements during that time. In scheduling when the repairs will take place, we will take into account your preferences and convenience.
You should be aware that this work must be completed within the next four years and six months, regardless of your intention to stay in your apartment for a longer duration. Please let us know if you are interested in having the work done now and we will provide you with additional information.
The Management
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff,
and
GERALD OSBORN, and SUSAN
OSBORN PLUMMER,
Plaintiffs/Intervenors,
v.
BLUEBERRY HILL ASSOCIATES,
L.P.; COSTICH ENGINEERING;
and PASSERO ASSOCIATES, P.C.;
Defendants.
__________________________________
I, _______________________, on behalf of myself and family members, agents, heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, pursuant to the terms, provisions, and conditions of the Consent Order approved by the United States District Court for the Western District of New York on_____________________, 2004 in the case of United States v. Blueberry Hill Associates, L.P., et al., Civ. No. 02-CV-6548CJS ("lawsuit") and in consideration of the payment of _______________ do fully, finally and forever release, discharge, and hold harmless Blueberry Hill Associates, L.P., Costich Engineering and Land Surveying, P.C., and Passero Associates, P.C. (hereinafter "Defendants"), along with their insurers, attorneys, related companies, principals, predecessors, successors, assigns, affiliates, partners, directors, officers, agents, employers, shareholders, subsidiaries, employees, former employees, heirs, executors, and administrators and any persons acting under their respective direction or control (hereinafter "Releasees"), from any and all fair housing claims set forth, or which could have been set forth, in the Complaint in this lawsuit that I may have against Defendants or any of the Releasees for any of Defendants' actions or statements related to those claims through the date of this Consent Order, including claims for damages (both compensatory and punitive), costs, fines and attorneys' fees.
I affirm that the only consideration for signing this Full and Final Release of Claims are the terms stated in the Consent Order signed by the parties, and the monetary payment referenced above. I have accepted the terms of this Release and the Consent Order because I believe them to be a fair and reasonable settlement and for no other reason. This Release and the Consent Order contain and constitute the entire understanding and agreement between the parties.
______________________________
NAME (PRINT)
______________________________ _______________
SIGNATURE
DATE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff,
and
GERALD OSBORN, and SUSAN
OSBORN PLUMMER,
Plaintiffs/Intervenors,
v.
BLUEBERRY HILL ASSOCIATES,
L.P.; COSTICH ENGINEERING;
and PASSERO ASSOCIATES, P.C.;
Defendants.
__________________________________
On _________________, 2004, the United States District Court for the Western District of New York entered a Consent Order resolving a housing discrimination lawsuit brought by the United States against the owner, architect, and site engineer ("Defendants") of Blueberry Hill Apartments. The lawsuit alleges that the ground floor units and the common use areas (e.g., the Rental Office, Community Building, and Swimming Pool) at Blueberry Hill are not accessible to individuals with disabilities. As part of the Consent Order, the Defendants have agreed to retrofit the ground floor units and the common use areas at Blueberry Hill to comply with the Fair Housing Act.
Under the Court Order, a Settlement Fund is also being established to identify and pay damages to people whose civil rights were violated as a result of this discrimination. You may be qualified to recover from this Settlement Fund if you:
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff,
and
GERALD OSBORN, and SUSAN
OSBORN PLUMMER,
Plaintiffs/Intervenors,
v.
BLUEBERRY HILL ASSOCIATES,
L.P.; COSTICH ENGINEERING;
and PASSERO ASSOCIATES, P.C.;
Defendants.
__________________________________
Center for Disability Rights
584 Lake Avenue
Rochester, NY 14613
(585) 647-925
The Fair Housing Coalition for a Community of Monroe
c/o HOP
400 Andrews Street, Suite 515
Rochester, New York 14604
(585) 546-6340
The Housing Council
183 E. Main St., Suite 1100
Rochester, NY 14604
(585) 546-3700
Monroe County Legal Assistance Corp.
Fair Housing Enforcement Project
80 St. Paul Street, Suite 702
Rochester, NY 14604
(585) 325-2500
Public Interest Law Office of Rochester
80 St. Paul Street, Suite 701
Rochester, NY 14604
(585) 454-4060
Regional Center for Independent Living, Inc.
758 South Avenue
Rochester, NY 14610
(585) 442-6470
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff,
and
GERALD OSBORN, and SUSAN
OSBORN PLUMMER,
Plaintiffs/Intervenors,
v.
BLUEBERRY HILL ASSOCIATES,
L.P.; COSTICH ENGINEERING;
and PASSERO ASSOCIATES, P.C.;
Defendants.
_________________________________
I have received a copy of the Consent Order entered in United States v. Blueberry Hill Associates, L.P., et al., United States District Court, Western District of New York, Civ. No. 02-CV-6548CJS This Consent Order was explained to me by my employer and all my questions were answered concerning it. I have read and understood the Consent Order.
Initials: __________________
____________________________________________________________ _______________
EMPLOYEE/AGENT SIGNATURE DATE
1. For purposes of this decree, "readily accessible to and usable by handicapped persons" means compliance with American National Standards Institute (ANSI)for Buildings and Facilities -- Providing Accessibility and Usability for Physically Handicapped People, ("ANSI"), 1986 edition, or a comparable standard that provides "access essentially equivalent to or greater than required by ANSI A117.1" See 54 Fed. Reg. 3241 (Jan. 23, 1989). Should defendants elect to follow a standard other than ANSI in retrofitting any portion of the public and common use areas of any property covered by this Decree, they will inform the United States in writing of the standard they intend to use. Such standard must provide access that is "essentially equivalent to" or "greater" than ANSI A117.1 (1986).
2. The following convention will be used in Sections I and II to identify the location of certain categories of violations: #L = Left side entrance of Bldg. #; #C = Center entrance of Bldg. #; #R = Right side entrance of Bldg. #; #rL = rear Left side entrance of Bldg. #; #rC = rear Center entrance of Bldg. #; #rR = rear Right entrance of Bldg. #.
3. To correct this violation, Defendant Blueberry Hill Associates, L.P., shall be responsible for installing a permanent wooden patio deck that is flush to the interior of the ground floor unit at the request of a resident of a ground floor unit at Blueberry Hill. Within 30 days from the date of the entry of this Consent Order, Defendant Blueberry Hill Associates, L.P., shall: (a) install one permanent wooden patio deck on a ground floor unit to serve as a model, which shall be available for all tenants and prospective tenants to view; (b) begin to maintain at all times at least three (3) wooden patio decks in stock at Blueberry Hill; (c) provide written notification to each and every current tenant who resides in a ground-floor unit, informing them that a permanent wooden patio deck can be installed for them at no cost; (d) begin to provide written notification upon move-in to each and every new tenant who will reside in a ground-floor unit, informing them that a permanent wooden patio deck can be installed for them at no cost; and (e) begin installing a permanent wooden patio deck within one week of a request to do so by a current tenant or prior to the move-in date if the request is made by a new tenant. However, if Defendant Blueberry Hill Associates, L.P., receives more than three (3) such requests within the same seven (7) day period, Defendant Blueberry Hill Associates, L.P., shall be entitled to a seven (7) day extension to install the requested permanent wooden patio decks.
4. To correct this violation, Blueberry Hill Associates, L.P., shall complete a survey of the height of electrical outlets in ten ground-floor units in Phase I and ten ground-floor units in Phase II, including five randomly selected one-bedroom apartments, five randomly selected three-bedroom apartments, and ten randomly selected two-bedroom apartments. Documentation of this survey and an affidavit attesting to its accuracy shall be included in the "initial report" submitted to the United States 100 days after the date of entry of this Consent Order. If the survey shows that the heights of the electrical outlets are greater than or equal to those found during the December 12, 2002 inspection by Department of Justice officials, no retrofitting of the electrical outlets shall be necessary.
5. To correct this violation, Defendant Blueberry Hill Associates, L.P., shall be responsible for installing a set of grab bars with winget fasteners at the request of a resident of a ground floor unit at Blueberry Hill. Within 30 days from the date of the entry of this Consent Order, Defendant Blueberry Hill Associates, L.P., shall: (a) begin to maintain at all times at least 30 sets of grab bars and winget fasteners in stock at Blueberry Hill; (b) provide written notification to each and every current tenant who resides in a ground-floor unit, informing them that grab bars can be installed for them at no cost; (c) begin to provide written notification upon move-in to each and every new tenant who will reside in a ground-floor unit, informing them that grab bars can be installed for them at no cost; and (d) begin installing grab bars within one business day of a request to do so by a current tenant or prior to the move-in date if the request is made by a new tenant. However, if Defendant Blueberry Hill Associates, L.P., receives more than 30 such requests within the same seven (7) day period, Defendant Blueberry Hill Associates, L.P., shall be entitled to a seven (7) day extension to install the requested grab bars.
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Steven H. Rosenbaum |
Chief |
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Housing & Civil Enforcement Section |
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(202) 514-4713
TTY - 202-305-1882 FAX - (202) 514-1116 To Report an Incident of Housing Discrimination: 1-800-896-7743 |
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U.S. Department of Justice
Civil Rights Division 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Housing and Civil Enforcement Section, NWB Washington, D.C. 20530 Email: fairhousing@usdoj.gov |