Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb has made a stand against housing discrimination in the nation's capital, as a DC landlord, Portico Investments LLC, is now compelled to pay $10,000 in penalties following allegations of discriminatory policies against tenants using housing vouchers. This news comes from an official release, where Schwalb takes a clear position against such prejudicial treatment.
The case centers around the supposed practice of setting higher income requirements for tenants planning to use housing subsidies, like rapid re-housing vouchers, than for others. This kind of discrimination not only exacerbates the challenge of finding an affordable place in an already tough market, but also stands in stark opposition to the District's Human Rights Act (HRA). In a quote sourced from the Office of the Attorney General’s release, Schwalb said, "It is already too hard to find an affordable place to live in DC, and no one should face discrimination when looking for a home." In keeping with DC's anti-discrimination law, tenants cannot be refused or treated differently based on their source of income, which includes housing vouchers or other assistance forms.
Portico's cooperation with the OAG's investigation led to the amendment of their rental income requirement policies and the halting of discriminatory advertising. The settlement also mandates that the real estate company, which boasts approximately 100 rental apartments across the District, provides annual fair housing training to its employees and management and submits compliance reports over the next two years. These reports are to include any discrimination complaints and document how these are addressed.
District residents who believe they have faced housing discrimination can reach out to OAG’s Civil Rights & Elder Justice Section through various methods, including email or an online civil rights tip submission. Additionally, the District's Office of Human Rights (OHR) stands as a beacon for those seeking to lodge individual discrimination complaints. The full settlement can be found on the OAG website.
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