FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          CR
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1997                        (202) 616-2765
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888
                                 
   JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SUES GRAND RAPIDS APARTMENT COMPLEX FOR
            DISCRIMINATING AGAINST AFRICAN AMERICANS
                                

     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Justice Department today accused the
owner and manager of a Grand Rapids, Michigan apartment complex
of refusing to rent to African-Americans and families with
children.  
     
     The complaint, filed in U. S. District Court in Grand Rapids
against the Town and Country apartment complex, stems from a
nationwide fair housing testing program conducted by the
Department.  Evidence was also gathered through testing conducted
by the Fair Housing Center of Greater Grand Rapids.
     Today's lawsuit against the 50-unit complex represents the
first fair housing lawsuit filed by the Justice Department in
Grand Rapids.  Nationwide, 36 cases have now been filed as a
result of the testing program.  Eight of the previously filed
cases were filed in the Detroit metropolitan area, resulting in
settlements totaling more than $1.5 million.
     "This suit demonstrates that we will continue to vigorously
fight racial discrimination in housing which too often goes
unchallenged," said Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil
Rights Isabelle Katz Pinzler.  "Today's actions should warn all
housing providers that we can detect housing discrimination and
that we will take appropriate legal action."

     The suit charges Mark Jansma and Robert Etheridge, the owner
and manager, respectively, of the complex located at 1520 42nd
Street, SE, with discriminating against African-Americans and
families with children in violation of the federal Fair Housing
Act.  It alleges, among other things, that the defendants refused
to rent to African-Americans and falsely informed African-Americans that there were no available apartments, while at the
same time telling white persons that there were apartments
available. 

       The complaint also asserts that the defendants refused to
rent apartments to families with children. Since 1989, federal
law has prohibited such discrimination against families with
children.
 
     Under the nationwide testing program, a trained pair of
black and white testers posing as prospective tenants inquire
about available units.  By comparing the experiences of the
testers, investigators can determine whether minorities are
treated less favorably than whites.  

     "Denying apartments to people because they are black, or
because they have children cannot be tolerated," said Michael
Hayes Dettmer, U.S. Attorney in Grand Rapids. "Such
discrimination can and will be sought out and punished."

     The complaint seeks an order preventing the complex from
engaging in further discriminatory practices and requiring the
defendants to pay damages to any individuals identified as
victims of the discrimination.  Under the Fair Housing Act, a
court may also require each defendant to pay a civil penalty up
to $50,000 for the first violation and $100,000 for a subsequent
violation.

     Individuals who believe that they may have been the victims
of housing discrimination at the Town and Country Apartments
should call the Housing Section of the Civil Rights Division of
the Justice Department at 202-514-4713, the United States
Attorney's Office at 616-456-2404, or the Fair Housing Center of
Greater Grand Rapids at 616-451-2980.
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