United States v. Pereos (D. Nev.)

On December 19, 2022, the court entered a consent order in United States v. Pereos (D. Nev.).  The complaint, which was filed on January 14, 2021, alleged that the owners and operators of rental properties in Reno, Nevada violated the Fair Housing Act on the basis of disability by refusing to allow one set of complainants to live at a subject property with a service animal, and by refusing to grant a reasonable accommodation request by another set of complainants at another subject property to be allowed to reside at the property with an assistance animal. Defendants named in the complaint include C. Nicholas Pereos, Nina Properties II, Inc., Pereos 1980 Trust, Willis E. Powell, Nichole Truax, Iris Norton, Brownstone Apartments, LLC, and Teri Morrison.  The consent order requires the defendants to implement a reasonable accommodation policy, obtain fair housing training, and pay $27,500 in damages to the complainants.  This case was referred to the Division based on two separate HUD charges after the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) received two separate complaints, conducted investigations, and issued two charges of discrimination.