Mississippi Race Discrimination Lawsuit

Attorneys with the U.S. Department of Justice (”DOJ”) announced in a June 19, 2009 DOJ Press Release that the DOJ filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the former owner and managers of Homestead Mobile Home Village, a mobile home park in Gulfport, Mississippi, for allegedly violating the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against black tenants on the basis of race or color.  According to the Press Release, the federal lawsuit charges that the former managers of the mobile home park unjustly sought to evict a black couple and their five minor children who had moved there after being displaced by Hurricane Katrina.  See, http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2009/June/09-crt-610.html .  As further stated in the DOJ Press Release, the former managers attempted to evict the family and other black residents for allegedly violating rules of the park, but did not attempt to evict white residents for as many or more violations.  In addition, the DOJ claims that the former managers harassed and intimidated black tenants.  The lawsuit arose from a complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development by two black residents of Homestead.  An attorney quoted in the Press Release stated “No one should have to suffer harassing, unequal treatment from a landlord based one’s race or color [and] the Justice Department will vigorously prosecute any landlord who engages in racial discrimination in violation of the Fair Housing Act.”  Individuals who may have information related to the lawsuit were instructed in the Press Release to contact the Justice Department at 601-965-4480 or toll free at 1-800-896-7743.  Visit the DOJ Civil Rights Division web site at http://www.usdoj.gov/crt for more information about the laws it enforces. 

Whether race discrimination occurs in Mississippi or elsewhere, victims of race and color discrimination may contact the appropriate federal or state agency and an attorney to determine if a racial discrimination lawsuit may ultimately be appropriate under the particular circumstances and facts of the potential race discrimination claim.