Property Auctions

Monday, May 19, 2008

Owners With Violating Fair Housing Act

A converted warehouse, Lofts at the Mill consists of 74 residential apartment units. Gerard Joyce is the owner and manager of the Lofts at the Mill and Normandy Holdings. During 2005 and 2006, the property manager ran several ads in newspapers and on the Internet, which advertised the property as "21 and over." After viewing these advertisements, a local fair housing group contacted Danny Joyce, the property manager, to inform him that the language violated the Fair Housing Act because it prohibits families with children from living or renting at the Mill. Despite this warning, Danny Joyce refused to change the advertising.

Upon learning of the discriminatory content of the advertisements, the Department of Housing and Urban Development exercised its authority to initiate complaints when no individual came forward to file a complaint. As part of its investigation, HUD utilized undercover testers to determine whether the mangers refused to rent to families with children.

I just want to let you know that if you decide to move in, your daughter will be the only child in here. Another tester was given a brochure that contained the statement, "The Mill is an apartment community catering to young professionals and all occupants must be twenty-one years or older." In March 2007 during an on-site interview with HUD, Danny Joyce confirmed that no children currently resided at the Mill, and that he personally informed potential applicants that they could not live at the Mill because of their children.

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