Operation Home Sweet Home Results in Filing of Housing Lawsuit Alleging Discrimination Against Asian-Americans in Lowell, Massachusetts
Friday, September 28, 2007
WEBWIRE
WASHINGTON - The Civil Rights Division today announced the first lawsuit ever filed by the Department alleging discrimination against Asian-Americans based upon its fair housing tests–an example of the Division’s successful efforts in Operation Home Sweet Home. The complaint alleges that Pine Properties Inc. and six affiliated entities violated the Fair Housing Act by discriminating based on national origin against Cambodian-Americans seeking to rent apartments. The defendants own and operate 14 rental properties in Lowell, Mass.
The lawsuit, filed in federal district court in Boston, alleges that the defendants subjected Cambodian-American apartment seekers to requirements not imposed on white apartment seekers. It further alleges that the defendants’ actions included refusing to show available apartments to Cambodian-American apartment seekers because they did not have a separate appointment, while at the same time taking white persons to see available dwellings immediately, with no prior appointment.
The lawsuit seeks a court order prohibiting future discrimination and requiring the defendants to pay monetary damages to compensate victims and a civil penalty.
“Operation Home Sweet Home uncovered discrimination against Cambodian-Americans–a protected class,” said Rena J. Comisac, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “Applying more stringent standards to Cambodian-American apartment seekers is just as discriminatory as a blatant policy of refusing to rent to them.”
The Department of Justice conducted its investigation in this case through the use of fair-housing testers – individuals who pose as renters to gather information about possible discriminatory practices in the rental of apartments. This is the first lawsuit alleging discrimination against Asian-American that the Department has filed based on such testing evidence.
Operation Home Sweet Home is a concentrated initiative of the Department of Justice to expose and eliminate housing discrimination in America. This initiative was inspired by the plight of displaced victims of Hurricane Katrina who were suddenly forced to find new places to live. Operation Home Sweet Home is not limited to the areas hit by Hurricane Katrina and targets housing discrimination across the country. More information about Operation Home Sweet Home is available at the Justice Department Web site at:
http://www.usdoj.gov/fairhousing
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, sex, familial status, national origin and disability. Since Jan. 1, 2001, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division has filed 237 cases to enforce the Fair Housing Act. For more information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces, visit http://www.usdoj.gov/crt. Individuals who believe they may have been injured by the defendants’ discrimination should call the Department at 1-800-896-7743, ext. 95.
Friday, September 28, 2007
WEBWIRE
WASHINGTON - The Civil Rights Division today announced the first lawsuit ever filed by the Department alleging discrimination against Asian-Americans based upon its fair housing tests–an example of the Division’s successful efforts in Operation Home Sweet Home. The complaint alleges that Pine Properties Inc. and six affiliated entities violated the Fair Housing Act by discriminating based on national origin against Cambodian-Americans seeking to rent apartments. The defendants own and operate 14 rental properties in Lowell, Mass.
The lawsuit, filed in federal district court in Boston, alleges that the defendants subjected Cambodian-American apartment seekers to requirements not imposed on white apartment seekers. It further alleges that the defendants’ actions included refusing to show available apartments to Cambodian-American apartment seekers because they did not have a separate appointment, while at the same time taking white persons to see available dwellings immediately, with no prior appointment.
The lawsuit seeks a court order prohibiting future discrimination and requiring the defendants to pay monetary damages to compensate victims and a civil penalty.
“Operation Home Sweet Home uncovered discrimination against Cambodian-Americans–a protected class,” said Rena J. Comisac, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “Applying more stringent standards to Cambodian-American apartment seekers is just as discriminatory as a blatant policy of refusing to rent to them.”
The Department of Justice conducted its investigation in this case through the use of fair-housing testers – individuals who pose as renters to gather information about possible discriminatory practices in the rental of apartments. This is the first lawsuit alleging discrimination against Asian-American that the Department has filed based on such testing evidence.
Operation Home Sweet Home is a concentrated initiative of the Department of Justice to expose and eliminate housing discrimination in America. This initiative was inspired by the plight of displaced victims of Hurricane Katrina who were suddenly forced to find new places to live. Operation Home Sweet Home is not limited to the areas hit by Hurricane Katrina and targets housing discrimination across the country. More information about Operation Home Sweet Home is available at the Justice Department Web site at:
http://www.usdoj.gov/fairhousing
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, sex, familial status, national origin and disability. Since Jan. 1, 2001, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division has filed 237 cases to enforce the Fair Housing Act. For more information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces, visit http://www.usdoj.gov/crt. Individuals who believe they may have been injured by the defendants’ discrimination should call the Department at 1-800-896-7743, ext. 95.
22 comments:
Big surprise!!!! Discrimination in the middle of a nation so-called "The Father of Democracy". So this is how the so-called "Educated People" in the US behave? Ooh poor cambodian immigrant overthere... They thought they would be treated better but humm there is no hope...
Yep, and After 30 years, they realized this? What is so special about PhD, Nobel Peace Prize, ... ?
White Americans are the most evil people on earth. Don't believe the trash they talk about democracy, human rights or whatever. They're the ones who create war, famine, corruption, and human right abuses all over the world. They always present themselves as the good guys while doing all the evil. I hope all the Khmer people will begin to realize how the Westerners are.
My friend, the only way to change the white folk is to change their colonial blood, and that is impossible. The only thing we can do is not to repeat our past mistake by being divided and weak and allowed them to conquer us again. It would be a shame on our part if that ever to happen. I have no doubt that when things get rough in the future, they will take advantage of those who's weak and divided again. Thus, I suggest that we strengthen our region and be ready to impede against their attempt anytime in the future, and we must start now or never. Do you know what I mean?
6:11 PM. You are absolutely correct. But do most Cambodians and even Cambodian Americans still look up to white people as their saviours?
I think we're still suffering from the effects of colonialism. It is the only rational explanation for all the Khmer-on-Khmer hatred and for our people seeing them as the good people despite all the troubles they have caused.
Cambodian Americans? Funny that you ask; sorry I am just joking. Forget them, their brains are totally fried.
As for Cambodia, it appears about 30-40% are fried, but that is because western opposition brainwashing them with the credit card, picture of Europe, Canada, ... , and poor people are desperate. Those coward (opposition) exploited even children. I mean they drag kids as young as 12 years old to demonstration and got a bunch of them killed in 1997 from a grenade attack and they think they are heroes. What is a fuck-up mentality?
And of course, we are suffering from colonial, we have no wealth left. They took a lot each year and return just a little when we were part of the French Commonwealth for about 100 years. Why do you think we risked our lives to kick them out of IndoChina for? West Asia also suffering. That is how they are richer than us. They used to be just a poor slob. Just look at their nation in the 10th century, do you see anything as fancy as our Ankor? We were the world leader then, but not anymore, but part of it is our fault. We were devided and weak and they caught us. Thus, we must not let that happen again. We need to find all the causes that divided us and repair it, if we are to prevent anyone from abused us again. Does that make sense?
I used to be a property manager for 10 years and I see all kinds of discrimination going on!
As a property manager I screened out those people with pet, people who don't have good credit history, people who have too many family member...people...on and on...
Discrimination happen all the time but most people don't take the time to think about it. There is discrimination against fat people, short people, tall people, dark skin people, white skin...
But Uncle SAM made of many of discrimination against the law! But people chose to break the law. Now you know why it is impossible to pass law to regulate human behavior!
Sometime I can understand that it is all about business and making money. The business people have the right to discriminate against anyone to protect their investment!
For me, if you don't want my money and I will take money somewhere else!
If people are going to play economic game and they need to play it fairly otherwise the government will have to step in and when the government step in and you better watch out! There will be more rules, more regulations, and more penalties and fines...
Don't mess with Uncle SAM because Uncle SAM is watching you! But sometime people forget that Uncle SAM is watching them! Ahahhahhahah!
God bless America! Why do people still want to come to America? And maybe there is a reason.
Trials Of Henry Kissinger, the war maker, the policy maker and the destruction of Cambodia. Nixon and Kissinger are the war criminals. Nixon invaded Cambodia. The Nixon-Kissinger bombing of Cambodia in the early '70's was not all that different from the Khmer Rouge atrocities, in scale somewhat less, but not much less. Same was true in Laos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gu8PJBRa60s
Before all you rotten people jump to conclusion, tell us first what good it is to have you discriminate/exploit your own race without any law to protect the victims. Do not tell me that all asians do not discriminate against others. The bottom line is, here, these folks can take up legal venue to address the discrimination, back over there, a guy can other the demolition of a whole development with no legal recourse.
correction: ...a guy can order the demolition...
I remember Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge used to tell us that they liberated us from the imperialist/colonialist US...
in a way they did liberate us...that's why cambodians took to the streets to celebrate their takeover. it's just unfortunate they proved to be worse than the imperialists.
what america had done was to create an environment of khmer-on-khmer hatred which contributed to the KR's brutal and vengeful rule.
3:57, I have never heard any complaint about discrimation in indochina; better yet, I have not seen any case of descrimination recorded here until you idiots brought us to Year Zero.
6:43 AM, You never heard any complaint because people rarely express their feelings, and because it usually is a discrimination between ethnic groups of the same race, people may actually believe there is no discrimination. You can test this by trying to send two potential renters to a Phnom Penh landlord; one is light-skinned Chinese or Vietnamese-looking, and the other dark-skinned Khmer-looking to rent a house, and then honestly watch what will happen.
Here, the victims have laws and rights that can redress, and in some cases, make frivolous financial gain, and that is why you hear about it all the times. In Cambodia, you contest the richer and more powerful, you are not assured just to lose your case, but many times, your life!
Regarding the idea that says the US is the idiot who brought us to Year Zero, or created an environment for Khmer-on-Khmer hatred, your arguement is way one-sided. Why are you leaving out China, the French and Soviets(communist party and ideology that indoctrinated the monsters Saloth Sar and Ho Chi Minh). The US may have been guilty to incurse upon Cambodia, but not without our King and Pol Pot, et al. already had honeymooned with communist Vietnam.
After April 1975, after all US influences ceased, the King, Pol Pot and all others who were all grown-ass adults and intellectuals that were capable of analysing and absorbing the differences between capitalism and communism, should be able to competently lead the country toward progress and reconciliation, however, they let their personal agenda and grudges take over rationality, and allowed a genocide to occur. They were either guilty of committing the crimes,or of incompetently leading the country while genocide happened under their watch.
It is the irrational and pathetic apologists who continue to instill fear and division among Cambodians through intimidation and blaming others for their own shortcomings.
And if the US is the monster, why are all Khmer leaders now trying super hard to accumulate the dollars as well as sending their children to get education in the US? Are you a hypocrite?
"6:43 AM, You never heard any complaint because people rarely express their feelings, and because it usually is a discrimination between ethnic groups of the same race, people may actually believe there is no discrimination. You can test this by trying to send two potential renters to a Phnom Penh landlord; one is light-skinned Chinese or Vietnamese-looking, and the other dark-skinned Khmer-looking to rent a house, and then honestly watch what will happen."
Oh, stop fabricate nonesense excuse and theory here. Had there been any problem with housing discrimination here over the last 100 years or so, we would have a few records to back this up. "Rarely expressed their feeling" just meant MOST people rarely expressed their feeling, but not ALL. Thus, there should be record, rumors, or gossips, ..., and you know we love to gossips.
As for your contest against the riches, can you offer me a few evidences of your victory in the last 30 years?
10:36 AM, keep on pretending...
10:36 AM, Why don't you and your government offer them housing and ask these people to return?
I don't understand 11:16. Can you help me out? Are you saying that the Khmer government should build houses in Cambodia for idiots in Lowell and ask them to return to live with us?
Pretending about what, 11:13?
and 10:36, maybe I am asking too much by requesting evidences of your victories against the rich white folks.
How about a few evidences of your victories against any poor white folks? and by "your" I mean any Ah Khmer-Oversea's, not just yours. I am just curious.
To 4:04AM!
Shut the fuck up! The evidences are right before you!
Where!
OMG, I have gone blind!
Can someone help me find it?
12:24, stop stalling, let's see some evidences please.
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