AG: Tucson apartment complex illegally banned pregnant residents
Apr 18, 2019, 4:25 AM | Updated: 7:18 am
(Pixabay Photo)
(Pixabay Photo)
PHOENIX — Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced Wednesday that his office’s Civil Rights Division settled a case with a Tucson apartment complex that illegally prohibited pregnant residents.
According to a press release, Sahara Apartments, which operates a complex for students near the University of Arizona campus, included the stipulation in its leasing agreement.
The agreement stated that “if you are female and become pregnant while you are a resident of Sahara Apartments, you must vacate the apartment upon or prior to the birth of your child and pay any unpaid balance of your contract price.”
The Tucson Civil Rights Division charged the complex with housing discrimination based on familial status and sex, a violation of the Arizona Fair Housing Act.
The law makes it illegal for any person to discriminate in relation to housing based on a person’s race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status or physical or mental disability.
The settlement required the complex to pay a $2,000 civil penalty, amend its policy, have all managers attend fair housing training and and notify residents that the prohibition is now void.
“The conduct in the case was unacceptable and, quite frankly, outrageous,” Brnovich said in the release.
Anyone who feels they’ve been discriminated against in relation to housing in Arizona can submit a complaint online or at 602-542-5263 .
