Department of Justice Seal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CRT

TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2001

(202) 514-2008

WWW.USDOJ.GOV

TDD (202) 514-1888


JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SETTLES HOUSING DISCRIMINATION CASE

AGAINST FLORIDA LANDLORD


WASHINGTON, D.C. - A Florida landlord who discriminated against his tenant and her guest on the basis of race will pay $20,000 in damages to his victims and relinquish the management of his residential property, under a settlement with the Justice Department. During a public hearing today, the Honorable Magistrate Judge Howard T. Snyder in U.S. District Court in Jacksonville admonished Thomas E. Nail of Starke, Fla. for violating the Fair Housing Act.

As part of the settlement agreement, the federal judge reproved Nail in court today for intimidating and harassing his white tenant and her black guest, for illegally raising his tenant's rent because her guest was black, and for violating "one of the most important civil rights laws of this Nation, the Fair Housing Act." He noted that the law was "passed to end the bigotry that has scarred this nation by denying persons, because of the color of their skin, the opportunity to fully participate in the rights and benefits of American society."

The case was referred by the Department of Housing and Urban Development to the Justice Department for enforcement in federal court.

In June 2000, the Justice Department sued Nail, asserting that he directed racial epithets and derogatory racial statements at his tenant and her guest and expressed hostility toward African-Americans associating with Caucasians. In addition, Nail raised the tenant's rent because of the race of her guest, and he took actions calculated to frighten her and her guest in and around her home. In fear for her safety and for her guest's safety, the tenant moved from the property.

"It is sad that anyone in America would experience this kind of discriminatory treatment. I'm committed to more aggressive enforcement of our fair housing laws and have asked for more resources in our budget to help American families live in the neighborhood of their choice without fear, intimidation, or harassment," said Secretary Mel Martinez of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

In a consent order approved by the court on March 13, Nail admitted to the claims in the federal complaint. The settlement requires the landlord to hire an independent rental manager to handle his residential rental property; affirmatively advertise his residential rental property with an "Equal Housing Opportunity" statement; give written notice to current and future tenants, notifying them of their rights to equal housing opportunity and nondiscrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, handicap or familial status (having children under age 18); and provide the Department of Justice with records for the purpose of monitoring compliance with the settlement.

The settlement also required Nail to apologize in writing to the tenant and her guest, and the landlord has written a letter to his victims apologizing for "my statements, my actions, and the injuries I caused you."

"The Fair Housing Act has prohibited racial discrimination and harassment in housing since 1968," said Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights William R. Yeomans. "The right to be free of discrimination in housing includes the right to have guests of any race in your home, free of harassment. No one should be made to endure racially hostile harassment from a landlord in his or her own home. No guest should be subjected to this treatment because of his or her race, and no one should be forced to find a new home because of discriminatory harassment by a landlord."

"Here in Florida, we are committed to vigorous enforcement of the Fair Housing Act," said Donna A. Bucella, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida. "Our citizens should never be denied housing on the basis of race, color, or national origin, and they should feel free to invite guests of any race or color into their homes without fear of harassment."

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