The allegations arose from a 2011 qui tam suit filed by senior citizen Mei Ling, and the US opened its own case in 2017 when it accused Los Angeles of discriminatory practices and failure to provide equal opportunities in housing for people with disabilities.
The DOJ’s complaint detailed the numerous violations separated by inaccessible architectural features such as excessively steep ramps, narrow balconies and kitchen objects that couldn’t be reached. The city then settles these problems up and HUD ‘s giving it a fresh start for dealing with housing accessibility together.
HUD Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis slammed Los Angeles for failing to meet the federal accessibility standards. HUD General Counsel Damon Smith went along with Davis, pointing out that the settlement was meant to help deliver accessible housing and preserve the integrity of the program.
How much of the settlement goes to the Fair Housing Council and Mei Ling has not yet been decided. CRA/LA–the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency successor — was also caught up in the case and in 2020 agreed to settle similar charges for $3.1 million.
