Facts

Plaintiffs sued the City of Lancaster and the City of Palmdale alleging systematic discrimination against low-income black and Latino families who choose to live in the cities using federal Section 8 rental subsidies.

PLAINTIFFS' CONTENTIONS:
Plaintiffs argue that the Antelope Valley cities engaged in discrimination against Section 8 tenants through discriminatory municipal policies and practices having a disparate impact on Section 8 participants in those cities. Plaintiffs alleged that the Cities' actions, which included intimidation and discriminatory tactics, caused injury to Plaintiffs consisting of stigmatization, harassment and exclusionary policies. Plaintiffs also included factual allegations that employees of both the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles engaged in improper conduct.

Result

While not a party to the lawsuit, the County of Los Angeles agreed to measures to protect the housing choice of participants in the Section 8 program. Under the agreement approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 24, 2012, the county will stop the use of city taxpayer funds for harassment of Antelope Valley residents in the Section 8 program, stop the targeting of African American and Latino families and landlords who rent to them, prevent unwarranted involvement of Los Angeles County Sheriffs' personnel in Housing Authority compliance checks anywhere in Los Angeles County, create new policies that respect families' fair housing rights and promote education about Section 8 participants' rights under federal law. The City of Palmdale agreed to a settlement on Feb. 1, 2012. Under the terms of the settlement, Palmdale will not seek any information as to which of its residents participate in the Section 8 program, thereby ensuring that no city employee can target Section 8 participants for discriminatory treatment. Palmdale agreed to stop using city funds to pay for a dedicated Section 8 investigator in Palmdale, and instead will allow the County housing authority to take full responsibility for policing Section 8 compliance in the City. The plaintiffs dismissed Palmdale from the lawsuit, leaving only the City of Lancaster to face claims of racial discrimination.

Other Information

Judge Wright approved the settlement with Palmdale on Feb. 8, 2012.