Housing Section Documents

v.

PAUL F. CRAWFORD and
CRAWFORD LUMBER CO., INC.

__________________________

The United States of America alleges:

1. This action is brought by the United States to enforce the provisions of Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (the Fair Housing Act), as amended by the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, 42 U.S.C. §§ 3601, et seq.

2. This court has jurisdiction over this action under 28 U.S.C. § 1331, 28 U.S.C.§ 1345 and 42 U.S.C. § 3614(a).

3. Defendant Paul Crawford is a resident of Akron in the Northern District of Ohio. Mr. Crawford is the manager of numerous rental properties in the Akron, Ohio area, and has acted in that capacity for the rental properties at issue in this case at all relevant times. At all relevant times, Mr. Crawford has also been president and shareholder of defendant Crawford Lumber Co., Inc.

4. Defendant Crawford Lumber Co., Inc., a domestic corporation located in the Northern District of Ohio at 1439 Kenmore Blvd., Akron, Ohio 44314, owns most or all of the rental properties at issue in this case.

5. The rental properties owned and/or managed by defendants are dwellings within the meaning of 42 U.S.C. § 3602(b).

6. The defendants have violated the Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 3601, et seq., by discriminating against persons on the basis of sex in connection with the rental of dwellings, including those located at 247 Ira Avenue, 909 Oregon Avenue, 1081 Florida Avenue, 2180 5th Street, 774 Krause Court, 1145 Kenmore Boulevard, and 1164 Victory Street, all in Akron, Ohio.

7. From at least 1995 through the present, defendant Paul Crawford has subjected many female tenants and prospective female tenants of the rental properties owned by defendant Crawford Lumber Company, including Betty Pryor, Cynthia Walker, Shirley Gary, Vanessa Williams, Betty Brown, and Robin Payne, to severe, pervasive, and unwelcome sexual harassment, including: multiple instances of unwanted verbal sexual advances; multiple instances of unwanted sexual touching; conditioning the terms and conditions of women's tenancy on the granting of sexual favors; and threatening and taking steps to evict or take other adverse action against female tenants and prospective tenants when they refused or objected to his sexual advances.

8. The conduct of the defendants described above constitutes:

9. The conduct of the defendants described above constitutes:

10. Betty Pryor, Cynthia Walker, Shirley Gary, Vanessa Williams, Betty Brown, and Robin Payne are aggrieved persons as defined in 42 U.S.C. § 3602(i) and have suffered damages as a result of the defendants' conduct.

11. There may be numerous other female victims of the defendants' practices who were prospective or actual tenants of the properties owned and managed by the defendants. Such victims are aggrieved persons as defined in 42 U.S.C. § 3602(i) and have suffered damages as a result of the defendants' conduct.

12. The defendants' conduct was intentional, willful, and taken in disregard for the rights of others.

WHEREFORE, the United States prays that the Court enter an ORDER that:

1. Declares that the defendants' discriminatory practices violate the Fair Housing Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. §§ 3601 et seq.;

2. Enjoins the defendants, their agents, employees, and successors, and all other persons in active concert or participation with them from: