Violations can result in fines of up to $50,000 per violation.
The New Jersey Division for Civil Rights announced that it is considering penalties against landlords and property managers in eight cases for alleged discrimination against tenants with disabilities.
The department announced last week that housing providers in Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Ocean and Union counties are accused of refusing to rent to tenants, refusing to provide handicapped parking spaces and ignoring reports of harassment on their properties.
“In New Jersey, our anti-discrimination laws provide strong protections so no one can face housing discrimination because of their disability,” Attorney General Matthew Platkin said in a statement. “The enforcement action we’re announcing today reflects our agency’s ongoing commitment to eliminating disability discrimination across the state.”
The findings are the result of a preliminary investigation that found a “reasonable suspicion” of violations, but further adjudication of the case is still required, the department said. The state could impose fines of up to $50,000 per case if multiple violations are found.
The state’s alleged violations include:
In Bergen County, residents of the Saddle River Estates apartment complex filed a complaint against the condominium association and its management company, One Madison Management, alleging discrimination, according to the state.
The disabled resident requested that she park in her own parking space during a snowstorm to facilitate easy access to her unit, rather than moving to a visitor parking spot as required by property rules. The management argued that the cost of snow removal made it too expensive to grant her request, but the state found that the management did not adequately consider her request or consider other possible accommodations.
In Union County, the owners and managers of the Mill Run at Union Apartments denied a request for designated handicapped parking without showing that the accommodations would be onerous.
In Camden, the owner of a unit in Cooper Building “terminates a lease due to a prospective tenant’s disability,” according to authorities.
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According to the state, the lease was offered and then cancelled after an in-person interview where the prospective tenant’s disabilities were revealed: “We don’t really feel this house is safe or good,” the owner’s representative said. [Complainant] She added that she feared the prospective tenants would pose a liability risk to the property, according to authorities.
In Ocean County, the owner of seven rental units in Seaside Park allegedly failed to address ongoing harassment of disabled tenants. An investigation found that the owner was aware of the harassment but failed to take appropriate steps to end it, as required by law.
In Burlington County, the state found that property owner Penn Properties Management, which had already received 19 violation notices earlier this year, had failed to address mold and electrical problems that endangered the health of disabled tenants.
Gene Myers covers disability and mental health for NorthJersey.com and the USA TODAY Network. To get unlimited access to the most important news in your local community, subscribe now or activate your digital account.
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