A Tennessee landlord was ordered to pay six women $70,500 after it was found that he sexually harassed them while they rented properties from him. The case came into the scope of the U.S Justice Department as the offenses violated the Fair Housing Act.
The U.S Justice Department Orders Tennessee Landlord to Pay Over $70K For Sexually Harassing 7 Former Tenants
The women rented properties in the vicinity of Pop’s Cove, a mobile home park in Lexington, Tennessee. They filed the complaint with U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development claiming that Chad David Ables subjected women to propositions for sex, unwelcome touching, and offering to reduce their rent for sex, according to the Justice Department’s Memphis office.
The women were awarded after a jury found Ables actions to be in violation of the Fair Housing Act. It wasn’t mentioned if Ables withheld timely maintenance or actions of that nature if he didn’t get what he wanted. The case was centered on the misconduct of a landlord toward paying tenants.
Typically, the Department of Housing issues damages based on the number of offenses. A first-time offense usually warrants $16,000. It is bumped up to $37,500 if another complaint comes in before the current complaint that has been filed. The amount hits $65,000 for two or more violations if they occurred before the current complaint.
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