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Suit alleges apartments violate Fair Housing Act
Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA) - 3/27/2015
March 27--A Spokane developer is being sued by the National Fair Housing Alliance and local affiliates, who say that five apartment complexes built and managed by the firm weren't designed to accommodate people with disabilities.
The lawsuit names Rudeen Development LLC, which is owned by Kevin Rudeen. It was filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Spokane.
The suit alleges that five Rudeen apartment complexes in Spokane, Spokane Valley, Coeur d'Alene and Ponderay, Idaho, discriminate against people with disabilities by violating the federal Fair Housing Act.
Bathrooms weren't designed with enough floor space for people in wheelchairs to access toilets, sinks and tubs, according to the lawsuit. In addition, sidewalks and other pathways were too narrow for wheelchairs, disabled parking spaces were improperly designed and electrical outlets couldn't be reached by people in wheelchairs.
More than 3.6 million people over the age of 15 use a wheelchair, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
"These blatant violations, and many others, effectively communicate that people with disabilities are not welcome at the subject properties," the suit said.
Rudeen said he just learned of the lawsuit, and was still reviewing it.
"Unfortunately, this is more common than you'd think for a law that went into effect in 1991. Developers and architects don't know about it," said Marley Hochendoner, executive director of the Northwest Fair Housing Alliance in Spokane, which is also a plaintiff in the lawsuit, along with Intermountain Fair Housing Council in Boise.
The lawsuit's main goal is to correct problems at the five apartment complexes and ensure that Rudeen's future rentals comply with the law, Hochendoner said. The suit also asks for punitive damages and attorneys fees. The Center for Justice is the local counsel on the suit.
The properties listed in the lawsuit are the Bentley Apartments in Spokane; Mirabolante Apartments in Spokane Valley; Riverview at Mill River Apartments and Villas at Riverview Apartments, both in Coeur d'Alene; and Mountain View Village Apartments in Ponderay, Idaho.
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