Department of Justice Seal Department of Justice
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2002
WWW.USDOJ.GOV
CRT
(202) 514-2008
TDD (202) 514-1888

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES SETTLEMENT WITH OWNER
AND MANAGER OF MOBILE HOME PARK ON ALLEGATIONS
OF HOUSING DISCRIMINATION


WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Department of Justice today announced an agreement with the owner and manager of an Albuquerque, New Mexico mobile home park to settle allegations of discrimination against individuals of Cuban national origin.

The agreement, approved by U.S. District Court Judge Martha Vázquez, resolves a civil rights complaint filed by the Justice Department in October 2001. The complaint alleged that the owner and park manager, violated the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against individuals of Cuban national origin at Sunburst Mobile Home Village.

The agreement calls for a $20,000 penalty, prohibits the owner and employees from engaging in discriminatory acts in the future, as well as provides for fair housing training, implementation of new policies, compliance testing, and three years of monitoring.

The suit stemmed from complaints filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) by two individuals of Cuban national origin. The complainants alleged that they were harassed and treated differently than others in the terms of their tenancy because they were Cuban. Their complaints were confirmed by evidence from a testing program showing that Cuban persons were treated differently from non-Cubans. HUD investigated the complaints and referred the matter to the Justice Department for litigation after efforts to resolve the matter through conciliation failed.

"Landlords cannot treat tenants differently based on their national origin or ethnicity," said Assistant Attorney General Ralph F. Boyd, Jr.

Individuals who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination should contact the Department of Housing and Urban Development at (800) 669-9777. Additional information is available on HUD's website at www.hud.gov and the Justice Department website at www.usdoj.gov/crt/housing.

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