Housing And Civil Enforcement Cases Documents

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

           Plaintiff,

      v.                                                                                   Case No. 02-3244

URBAN RENTAL COMPANY,
PATRICK W. KRETZER and
and SUSAN L. KRETZER,

           Defendants.

The United States initiated this action against the defendants on September 18, 2002, on behalf of Joseph Edmonson and Debra Edmonson , who is now known as Debra Tucker. The complaint alleges that the defendants had discriminated against Mr. Edmonson and Ms. Tucker on the basis of race or color in connection with the rental of a mobile home lot at Urban Mobile Home Village, in violation of the Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. §§3604(a) and (b).

The Parties have agreed to the entry of this Consent Order to resolve all claims of the United States against the defendants and to avoid further expenses and the uncertainties of litigation. By entering into this Consent Order, the defendants do not admit to any violation of the Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. §§3601, et seq.

The defendants, their officers, agents, employees, successors, and all persons in active concert or participation with them are enjoined, with respect to the rental of any dwellings as defined by 42 U.S.C. §3602(b), from:

A. Refusing to rent after the making of a bona fide offer, refusing to negotiate for the rental of, or otherwise making unavailable or denying a dwelling to any person because of race or color;

B. Discriminating against any person in the terms, conditions, or privileges of rental of a dwelling, or in the provision of services or facilities in connection therewith, because of race or color; and

C. Coercing, intimidating, threatening, or interfering with any person in the exercise or enjoyment of, or on account of his or her having exercised or enjoyed, or on account of his or her having aided or encouraged any other person in the exercise or enjoyment of any right granted or protected by 42 U.S.C. §3604.

A. Defendants shall post and prominently display in the rental office and in any other office where there is rental activity and/or personal contact with applicants for the rental of dwellings from the defendants, a poster no smaller than 11 inches by 14 inches that indicates that all dwellings are available for rent on a nondiscriminatory basis. The poster(s) shall comply with the requirements set out in 24 C.F.R. Part 110.

B. Defendants shall within 30 days of the entry of this Order include the words "Equal Housing Opportunity" or the fair housing logo in all advertising conducted by the defendants in newspapers, telephone directories, radio or other media, and on all signs, pamphlets, brochures, and other promotional literature. The words or logo shall be prominently placed and easily legible.

A. Within 30 days of the date of entry of this Order, defendants shall provide a copy of this Order to all their agents and employees involved in the rental or management of dwellings and secure the signed statement from each agent or employee acknowledging that he or she has received and read the Order. This statement shall be substantially in the form of Attachment A.

B. During the term of this Order, within 30 days after the date he or she commences an agency or employment relationship with the defendants, each new agent or employee involved in the rental or management of dwellings shall be given a copy of this Order and be required to sign a statement acknowledging that he or she has received and read the Order. This statement shall be substantially in the form of Attachment A.

C. Within 90 days of the date of entry of this Order, defendants Patrick W. Kretzer and Susan L. Kretzer shall undergo training on the provisions of the Fair Housing Act pertaining to discrimination on the basis of race and color. The training shall be conducted by a qualified third party unconnected to defendants or their employees, agents, or counsel. Defendants shall provide to the United States, within 30 days after the training, the name(s), address(es) and telephone number(s) of the trainer(s) and certifications executed by the trainers confirming their attendance.

The defendants shall pay to Joseph Edmonson the sum of one thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars ($1,750.00) and to Debra Tucker the sum of one thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars ($1,750.00) as aggrieved persons within the meaning of the Fair Housing Act, provided that no amount shall be paid pursuant to this paragraph before those individuals have executed a written release (substantially in the form of Attachment B) of all claims, legal or equitable, that they might have against the defendants relating to the claims asserted in this lawsuit. The defendants shall send checks for these amounts to Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth L. Collins within 15 days after the date of entry of this Order.

A. During the term of this Order, the defendants shall retain all rental records maintained in the normal course of their business - including, but not limited to, inquiry logs, applications, tenant files, and all records relating to actual or threatened evictions - created from the date of the entry of this Consent Order. Upon request and reasonable notice, the defendants shall produce or permit representatives of the United States to review any such records in the possession or control of the defendants, or their agents, employees, or representatives.

B. During the term of this Order, the defendants shall give counsel for the United States written notice within 15 days of the receipt of any written or oral complaint against the defendants regarding discrimination on the basis of race or color, or conduct prohibited by 42 U.S.C. §3617, and a description of the resolution of any such complaint within 15 days of resolution. If the complaint is written, the defendants shall provide a copy of it with the notice; if the complaint is oral, they shall include a written summary of it with the notice. The notice shall include the full details of the complaint, including the complainant's name, address and telephone number. The defendants shall also promptly provide the United States all information it may request concerning any such complaint and its actual or attempted resolution.

A. The Parties have consented to the entry of this Order as indicated by the signatures below. To this end, the Parties stipulate and the Court finds that this Court has subject matter jurisdiction over this action pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§1331 and 1345 and 42 U.S.C. §3612(o). This Consent Order is effective immediately upon its entry by the Court.

B. The Court shall retain jurisdiction over this action and over the defendants for two years from the date of entry of this Consent Order to enforce the terms of the Order. The United States may move the Court to extend the duration of the Order if it determines that the defendants have violated one or more terms of the Order or if the interests of justice otherwise require.

C. The parties to this Consent Order shall endeavor in good faith to resolve informally any differences regarding interpretation of and compliance with this Order prior to bringing such matters to the Court for resolution. However, in the event of a failure by the defendants to perform in a timely manner any act required by this Consent Order or otherwise to act in violation of any provision thereof, the United States may move this Court to impose any remedy authorized by law or equity, including, but not limited to, an order requiring performance of such act.

So ORDERED this ______ day of ______________________, 2003.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

The undersigned hereby apply for and consent to the entry of this Order: