On May 20, the Maryland Office of the Attorney General announced three significant actions to enforce both Maryland and federal fair housing laws. The attorney general’s efforts resulted in three major settlements by the Civil Rights Division to address housing discrimination across the state.
The first settlement was with a management company, resolving an investigation based on source of income discrimination. The company agreed to establish a $90,000 fund for affected individuals, pay a $90,000 civil penalty, and implement new policies to accept all legal forms of income. The second settlement involved a real estate company and also addressed source of income discrimination. It required reimbursement for excess rent, payment of up to $2,500 per household in damages, and civil penalties totaling $105,000, along with policy updates and staff training. The third settlement against a property management company addressed discriminatory tenant screening practices, leading to a revised screening policy, waived application fees for two years, and imposed a $25,000 civil penalty.
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