U.S. Department
of Justice
United States v. Village of Tinley Park, Illinois (N.D. Ill.)
On August 24, 2018, the United States Attorney’s Office executed a settlement agreement in the United States v. Tinley Park, Illinois (N.D. Ill). The complaint, filed on November 23, 2016, alleged that the village engaged in a pattern or practice of unlawful discrimination and denied rights to a group of persons on the basis of race and color in violation of the Fair Housing Act, when it refused to permit the construction of an affordable housing project in response to racially motivated public opposition. On July 17, 2017, the court issued an order denying defendant’s motion to dismiss. Under the settlement, the Village will pay a total of $360,000 in monetary damages to the Village’s former planning director who was placed on leave because of her support for the project, as well as a $50,000 civil penalty to the United States. In addition, the Village will also take a number of actions to guard against further housing discrimination, including training elected officials and individuals involved in the planning process, developing a fair housing policy, and hiring a fair housing compliance officer. The case was jointly handled with the United States Attorney’s Office.
- None