In February 2017, District resident Melikt Mengiste filed a complaint against 1901-07 15th Street, N.W., Cooperative Association and its Board President (“Defendants”) for denying Ms. Mengiste housing because of her Ethiopian national origin, a protected class under the Fair Housing Act and DC Human Rights Act. As a result of Defendants’ denial of housing, Ms. Mengiste, who was pregnant with her second child at the time, was forced to continue to reside in a cramped and unsuitable studio apartment with her husband, sister, young son, and later-born second child. Ms. Mengiste endured months of physical and emotional distress because of the treatment she experienced.
Ms. Mengiste and her husband had submitted a complete application to live at 1901-07 15th St. Cooperative in June 2015. Despite complying with all of the application requirements and being exceptionally well-qualified, Defendants never contacted Ms. Mengiste to schedule an interview, a necessary step in the application process. Even though she was better qualified than other applicants, Defendants denied Ms. Mengiste the opportunity to reside at the Cooperative while accepting far less qualified applicants.
Ms. Mengiste’s case went before a jury in federal court in the District in January 2019. During trial, Defendants offered new excuse for having refused her housing—that her pay stubs were outdated, which was an issue they had never brought to her or the property management’s attention during the application process. As a result of the Defendants’ changing explanations for the refusal to rent, Ms. Mengiste was able to establish evidence of pretext, suggesting that even if Defendants had proffered a reason to deny her housing that they claimed was legitimate, their ever-shifting excuses showed otherwise.
The jury ultimately rendered a verdict in Ms. Mengiste’s favor on her claims under both federal and D.C. law for refusal to rent on the basis of national origin and the imposition of discriminatory terms and conditions. It found that Ms. Mengiste suffered discrimination on the basis of national origin and awarded her monetary damages of over $15,000. When asked about the trial, Ms. Mengiste remarked that it was the recognition of the injustice she suffered that mattered most.
Jonathan Smith, Executive Director for the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs remarked: “With its verdict, the jury signaled that denials of housing on the basis of national origin are contrary to our fair housing laws. In a larger sense, this case underscores the inherent right of District residents to live in diverse communities.”
Adam Chud, a partner at Goodwin Procter LLP who tried the case along with WLC, commented: “This was an especially gratifying and hard-fought win, for a client who deserved justice. Ms. Mengiste came to this country to establish a better life for herself and her family, worked hard, and yet unfortunately became the victim of discrimination because she is from Ethiopia. What happened to Ms. Mengiste is all too common, yet often goes unaddressed. This result should send a signal that discrimination against housing applicants on the basis of national origin, or any other protected basis, is illegal, and there are serious consequences for engaging in this form of discrimination.”
Media Contact:
Gregg A. Kelley
Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs
(202) 319-1070
[email protected]
Adam M. Chud
Goodwin Procter LLP
(202) 346-4000
[email protected]
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