Housing Law Commons^™

Emotional Harm In Housing Discrimination Cases: A New Look At A Lingering Problem, Victor M. Goode, Conrad A. Johnson

Fordham Urban Law Journal

This Article explores relevant social science data and examines how it affects the analysis and understanding of evidence of emotional harm. Part I provides an overview of the current state of emotional harm cases. Part II discusses the issue of bias in the process of reviewing discrimination cases from the perspective of critical race theory and recent social science data. In Part III, this Article examines the cycles of ignorance that have contributed to an under-valuation of emotional harm in housing discrimination litigation. Finally, suggestions are made about how to gather relevant psychological and medical information on the effects of …

Emotional Harm In Housing Discrimination Cases: A New Look At A Lingering Problem, Victor M. Goode, Conrad A. Johnson

Fordham Urban Law Journal

This Article explores relevant social science data and examines how it affects the analysis and understanding of evidence of emotional harm. Part I provides an overview of the current state of emotional harm cases. Part II discusses the issue of bias in the process of reviewing discrimination cases from the perspective of critical race theory and recent social science data. In Part III, this Article examines the cycles of ignorance that have contributed to an under-valuation of emotional harm in housing discrimination litigation. Finally, suggestions are made about how to gather relevant psychological and medical information on the effects of …

Clarifying The Federal Fair Housing Act’S Exemption For Reasonable Occupancy Restrictions, Tim Iglesias

Fordham Urban Law Journal

The 1988 Fair Housing Act Amendments (FHAA) for “reasonable” governmental occupancy standards contains a deceptively simple “exemption” that has been the subject of interpretation by numerous courts. This article argues that this “exemption” has been misinterpreted by these courts, particularly by the Sixth Circuit in Affordable Housing Advocates v. City of Richmond Heights. The article describes how this misinterpretation undercuts the protection from housing discrimination that the FHAA provides for families, especially families of color. The article details the FHAA’s familial status provision and “reasonable” standard exemption, and goes on to “analyze relevant case law and the legislative history to …

A Day In The Life Of A Residential Mortgage Defendant, 36 J. Marshall L. Rev. 687 (2003), Harold L. Levine

UIC Law Review

No abstract provided.

Modeling A Response To Predatory Lending: The New Jersey Home Ownership Security Act Of 2002, Baher Azmy, David J. Reiss

Cornell Law Faculty Working Papers

Professor Baher Azmy and Professor David Reiss document how predatory home lending practices have become rampant throughout the country and, notably, among low- and moderate-income and African American communities in New Jersey. Their article analyzes this emerging problem as a sometimes devastating side effect of the rapid increase in American home ownership, an otherwise almost completely desirable phenomenon. Because predatory lending has been so difficult to define, states have struggled to regulate it. New Jersey, building on the work of a few other leading states, has drafted what many consider to be the new standard for predatory lending legislation, the …

The Healing Presence Of Clients In Law School, Angela Mccaffrey

William Mitchell Law Review

William Mitchell College of Law is celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of the Law Clinic. As a beneficiary of clinical legal education at William Mitchell, I write this essay to reflect on the value of clinical legal education to law students, to the clients served, and to the community at large. In my view, clinical legal education is timeless--as valuable to law students today as it was thirty years ago when William Mitchell started its first clinic. Although many things combine to make clinical education valuable, three aspects are particularly noteworthy. First, clinics give law students the chance to represent clients …

Book Review, W Dennis Keating

Law Faculty Articles and Essays

Reviewing L. Vale, Reclaiming Public Housing: A Half Century of Struggle in Three Public Neighborhoods, Harvard University Press (2002)

Across The Borders: Immigrant Status And Identity In Law And Latcrit Theory, Ruben J. Garcia

Scholarly Works

Immigrants make up a large and increasing portion of the American community. The recent census found an unprecedented number of immigrants within the United States. Immigrants, however, have fewer legal protections than almost any other individuals within our borders. This lack of protection is especially disconcerting given that immigrants are often the most subordinated members of our communities. Particularly after the events of September 11, 2001, the rights and protections available to immigrants—whether they are documented or not—are tenuous. As LatCrit scholars have pointed out, immigration law is intensely racialized, and yet other bodies of law, such as civil rights …

Rhetoric And Realities Of Gentrification: Reply To Powell And Spencer, J. Peter Byrne

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Gentrification represents one of the most encouraging trends in city life since the 1960s. That may be a sad commentary on the fate of American cities or on our urban policies, but it is nevertheless true. The return of affluent people to urban living offers the possibility of reversing declining populations and municipal revenues, permitting enhanced spending on basic services, and increasing employment and educational opportunities. It also brings greater ethnic and economic diversity, which can contribute to a more humane social and cultural life. The great drawback to gentrification is that increased demand for housing increases rents, at least …

Two Cheers For Gentrification, J. Peter Byrne

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

The very word "gentrification" implies distaste. Advocates for the poor and ethnic minorities see affluent whites bidding up the prices for urban housing to levels that force poor families out, depriving them of affordable housing, perhaps rendering them homeless, and changing the character of a neighborhood from one that reflects distinct ethnic and class needs and cultural traditions into a bland emporium for expensive consumer goods. Sometimes historic preservation laws are indicted as particular culprits in setting this dynamic in motion. A result of these perceptions is that the legal literature on gentrification, in general, and historic preservation both reflect …

Closing The Door On Unfair Forclosure Practices In Colorado, Josiah L. Kibe

University of Colorado Law Review

No abstract provided.

Emotional Harm In Housing Discrimination Cases: A New Look At A Lingering Problem, Victor M. Goode, Conrad Johnson

Faculty Scholarship

With the United States Supreme Court's condemnation of legal segregation in Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, and a vigorous civil rights movement that led to the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the nation entered the beginning of a new era in race relations. This, and future civil rights legislation, would be characterized by the development of a national agenda for ending discrimination and promoting equality. One area that was not included in this initial congressional effort, but later found its way into the legislative agenda, was the subject of housing discrimination. Despite the relatively few debates …

Oral Argument In Meyer V. Holley (No. 01-1120), Robert G. Schwemm, Douglas G. Benedon, Malcolm L. Stewart

Law Faculty Advocacy

The matter of Meyer v. Holley, 537 U.S. 280 (2003) was argued before the United States Supreme Court on Tuesday, December 3, 2002. Professor Robert G. Schwemm argued on behalf of the Respondents. This document is a transcript of the oral argument.

Real Estate And Land Use Law, John V. Cogbill Iii, D. Brennen Keene

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

Brief For Respondents, City Of Cuyahoga Falls V. Buckeye Community Hope Foundation, 538 U.S. 188 (Supreme Court Of The United States 2003) (No. 01-1269), Michael P. Seng, John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Legal Clinic, Et Al

Court Documents and Proposed Legislation

No abstract provided.

Brief Of The John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Clinic As Amici Curiae In Support Of Plaintiffs-Appellants Good Shepherd Manor Foundation, Inc., Good Shepherd Manor Group Homes, Inc., And Good Shepherd Manor, Inc., Good Shepherd Manor Foundation, Inc. V. City Of Momence, 323 F.3d 557 (Seventh Circuit Court Of Appeals 2003) (No. 02-3536), John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Legal Clinic, F. Willis Caruso

Court Documents and Proposed Legislation

No abstract provided.

New Look At Sexual Harassment Under The Fair Housing Act: The Forgotten Role Of 3604, Rigel C. Oliveri, Robert G. Schwemm

Faculty Publications

This Article argues that § 3604(c) is applicable in virtually every sexual harassment case involving housing and that its applicability means the FHA can be a more effective statute for attacking sexual harassment than Title VII. Part I reviews the law governing sexual harassment in housing, including the role that Title VII precedents have had in shaping this law. Part II shows how § 3604(c) goes further than its Title VII counterpart in prohibiting statements that are often at the heart of a sexual harassment claim and identifies some specific situations in which § 3604(c) may be helpful in challenging …

Community Development: A New Tool For Strengthening Urban Neighborhoods, Brenda Bratton Blom, Robert B. Inerfeld

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

A New Look At Sexual Harassment Under The Fair Housing Act: The Forgotten Role Of §3604(C), Robert G. Schwemm, Rigel C. Oliveri

Law Faculty Scholarly Articles

Sexual harassment in housing is a significant national problem. Although less visible than the comparable problem in employment, sexual harassment in housing may be as prevalent and probably more devastating to its victims.

Nevertheless, relatively little attention has been paid to this issue or to the law that should govern it. Indeed, the law of sexual harassment in housing developed well after and in virtual lock-step with the law of sexual harassment in employment. Thus, courts have simply interpreted the Fair Housing Act (FHA) to prohibit sexual harassment to the same degree—and only to the same degree—as it is prohibited …

Nowhere To Go: Will The Rural Housing Preservation Legislation Withstand Owner Attacks?, Karen Merill Tjapkes

Public Interest Law Reporter

No abstract provided.

Eviction Suit Settlement Sets Precedent For Battered Women, Jessica Hunter

Public Interest Law Reporter

No abstract provided.

Victimizing The Victim: Evicting Domestic Violence Victims From Public Housing Based On The Zero-Tolerance Policy, Tara M. Vrettos

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

The note argues that zero-tolerance eviction policies in public housing, authorized under federal law, unjustly penalize domestic violence victims by evicting them for crimes committed by others, including their abusers. These policies, upheld by the Supreme Court in Rucker, disproportionately harm low-income women, pushing them into homelessness and perpetuating cycles of abuse. The note advocates for a nuanced, case-specific approach to balance public safety and tenant rights, drawing parallels to child custody cases where victims are similarly blamed. It calls for federal reform to protect domestic violence survivors and end their victimization by the legal system.

Evaluating The Sex Discrimination Argument For Lesbian And Gay Rights, Edward D. Stein

Articles

The sex discrimination argument for lesbian and gay rights analyzes laws that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation in terms of sex discrimination. For example, sodomy laws that prohibit only same-sex sexual activities are analyzed as discriminating on the basis of sex because they prohibit women from doing something men are permitted to do, that is, have sex with women. This argument has been championed by some scholars and litigators, and it has persuaded some judges. Edward Stein shows that there are sociological, theoretical, moral, and practical problems facing the sex discrimination argument. He suggests that there are better …

Brief For Amici Curiae Aarp Et Al., United States Department Of Housing And Urban Development V. Rucker Et Al., Nos. 00-1770 & 00-1781 (U.S. Dec. 20, 2001), Peter B. Edelman

U.S. Supreme Court Briefs

No abstract provided.

Evaluating The Sex Discrimination Argument For Lesbian And Gay Rights, Edward D. Stein

Articles

The sex discrimination argument for lesbian and gay rights analyzes laws that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation in terms of sex discrimination. For example, sodomy laws that prohibit only same-sex sexual activities are analyzed as discriminating on the basis of sex because they prohibit women from doing something men are permitted to do, that is, have sex with women. This argument has been championed by some scholars and litigators, and it has persuaded some judges. Edward Stein shows that there are sociological, theoretical, moral, and practical problems facing the sex discrimination argument. He suggests that there are better …

Discriminatory Housing Statements And §3604(C): A New Look At The Fair Housing Act’S Most Intriguing Provision, Robert G. Schwemm

Law Faculty Scholarly Articles

Today, more than three decades after the 1968 Fair Housing Act ("FHA") banned such behavior, blatant discrimination—often accompanied by racist slurs and other explicitly discriminatory statements—continues to plague America's housing markets. The FHA not only outlawed discrimination in most housing transactions on the basis of race, color, religion, and national origin, but also contained a specific prohibition, § 3604(c), banning all discriminatory housing statements. Unlike the FHA's more traditional prohibitions against discriminatory refusals to deal and discriminatory terms and conditions, § 3604(c)'s ban on discriminatory statements has not been the subject of much litigation or debate.

Part I of the …

Are Tax "Benefits" For Religious Institutions Constitutionally Dependent On Benefits For Secular Entities?, Edward A. Zelinsky

Articles

The Supreme Court generally conditions tax exemptions, deductions, and exclusions for religious organizations and activities upon the simultaneous extension of such benefits to secular institutions and undertakings. The Court's position flows logically from its acceptance of the premise that tax exemptions, deductions, and exclusions constitute subsidies. However, the "subsidy" label is usually deployed in a conclusory and unconvincing fashion. The First Amendment is best understood as permitting governments to refrain from taxation to accommodate the autonomy of religious actors and activities; hence, tax benefits extended solely to religious institutions should pass constitutional muster as recognition of that autonomy.

The Economic Impact Of Affordable Housing: Multifamily Housing In Massachusetts, Zenia Kotval

New England Journal of Public Policy

The Massachusetts housing industry has come under some scrutiny over the past ten years. Issues of supply, demand, affordability, housing discrimination, and economic impacts are of increasing interest to government officials, planners, developers, and bankers. Despite an increasing need to provide affordable housing for the various populations within the state, there is a decrease in the supply of multifamily rental housing. There have been few efforts that comprehensively measure the impact of the housing industry on the economy. This article surveys the need for affordable housing and the economic impacts of multifamily rental housing in the state. The premise is …

Outing The Madman: Fair Housing For The Mentally Handicapped And Their Right To Privacy Versus The Landlord's Duty To Warn And Protect, Frederic White

Fordham Urban Law Journal

This article examines the serious potential for a clash between two sets of values: (1) the stated values of the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, that persons handicapped within its terms should not be denied access to decent housing on that account, and that mentally handicapped tenants, especially those who may have, but do not necessarily possess, a propensity for violence, have privacy rights; and (2) the landlord’s responsibilities with respect to the safety needs of other tenants. The author addresses a number of policies, including those embodied in federal and state statutes relating to the rights of mentally …

The Community Reinvestment Act: Its Impact On Lending In Low-Income Communities In The United States, Michael S. Barr, Lynda Y. De La Vina, Valerie A. Personick, Melissa A. Schroder

Book Chapters

This paper reviews data and research studies that demonstrate that CRA has helped to increase lending to low-income borrowers and in low-income neighborhoods, and that expanded CRA lending has been accomplished while maintaining sound lending practices and bank profitability. The paper also discusses literature that draws alternative conclusions, as well as studies that find, despite increases in lending and banking services to low- and moderate-income areas and to minority borrowers, that disparities still exist between the services afforded to these communities and those offered to the market as a whole.