United States v. Walden (N.D. W. Va.)

On July 10, 2017, the court entered a consent decree resolving United States v. Walden (N.D. W. Va.), a Fair Housing Act lawsuit. The complaint, which was filed on March 16, 2016, alleged a pattern or practice of discrimination based on sex, specifically sexual harassment and retaliation, by the owners and managers of over 70 residential rental properties in the Morgantown, West Virginia area. One of the defendants, Gary Walden, has served time in prison after pleading guilty to charges related to his sexual harassment of his tenants, and he repeatedly violated a prior state court consent decree prohibiting him from sexually harassing his tenants. The consent decree provides for the payment of $500,000 to aggrieved persons and $100,000 in civil penalties, as well as enjoining Gary Walden from participating in management of the residential rental properties. On March 4, 2019, the court entered an order holding all defendants in civil contempt for failing to fulfill their payment obligations under the consent decree. On November 9, 2020, the court found the defendants remain in civil contempt for violating the monetary provisions of the consent decree, and also found Gary Walden in further civil contempt for violating injunctive provisions of the consent decree.  Following the court’s contempt orders, the defendants paid the outstanding monies plus interest and came into compliance with the consent decree. The lawsuit arose when four female tenants filed complaints about Walden with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”), which referred the complaints to the department for further investigation.

Press Release (7/10/17)
Press Release (3/16/16)