United States v. Brinson (D. Nev.)

On June 14, 2016, the court entered the consent decree in United States v. Brinson (D. Nev.), a Fair Housing Act election referral alleging a pattern or practice of familial status discrimination.  The consent order requires the defendants to pay $14,000 in monetary damages to a family with children, $12,000 as a civil penalty, and $10,000 to a victim fund.  The complaint, filed on July 10, 2015, alleged that the property owners violated the Fair Housing Act by placing a series of written advertisements that indicated a preference against renting to families with children, and denying the family with children--who responded to one of the advertisement-- the opportunity to rent a single-family home. The complaint also alleges that the series of advertisements amounts to a pattern or practice of familial status discrimination. The case was referred to the Division after the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) received a complaint, conducted an investigation, and issued a charge of discrimination.