NEW: Worcester Housing Complex to Pay $20K For Discrimination Allegations
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
According to the assurance of discontinuance (AOD) filed with Suffolk Superior Court on Tuesday, the Federal Square Condominium Trust, which owns a 76-unit condominium complex with four commercial units in Worcester, and its property management company Alpine Property Management, failed to respond to a tenant’s requests to make the building wheelchair accessible. The tenant requested that the building's elevators, often-broken, be repaired or that a ramp be installed. However, because of the failure to respond and to make the requested modifications, the tenant and her disabled partner were forced to move out of the building.
“Massachusetts law requires landlords to communicate with and provide reasonable accommodations for their tenants with disabilities,” Coakley said. “Landlords must meet their obligations under the law in a timely manner especially when it comes to tenants who have every right to safe access to their own home.”
Under Massachusetts law, when a property owner or manager receives a request from a tenant with disabilities for an accommodation, the owner or manager has to take steps to communicate with the tenant to identify whether or not it is reasonable to provide such an accommodation. While they may ultimately deny the tenant’s request, they must engage in an interactive process.
Under the terms of the agreement, Federal Square and Alpine will pay a total of $20,000, including $16,500 to the tenant and $3,500 to the Commonwealth. In addition, Alpine will implement new policies to ensure that it properly responds to requests for reasonable accommodations in the future within 15 business days and to maintain a written log of all requests to ensure compliance.
The AOD also requires all Alpine employees to attend training on federal and state fair housing laws, and maintain the elevators at the Federal Square Condominiums in full working condition.
Assistant Attorney General Gabrielle Viator and Paralegal Bethany Brown of Attorney General Coakley’s Civil Rights Division handled the matter.
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