On Dec. 14, the United States settled their federal civil rights lawsuit against Centanni. Now, Centanni will pay $4.5 million as part of the settlement. According to the New York Times, if the settlement is approved by a judge, this case will become the largest settlement the Department of Justice “has ever secured in a case involving sexual harassment in housing.” Also according to the NYT, the bulk of the settlement is expected to go to the victims. Centanni is also facing separate criminal charges. 

Kennedy Hunt P.C. applauds the Department of Justice for advocating for the victims of Centanni. As a civil rights law firm, we are committed to the belief that all people deserve access to fair housing, free of coercion, harassment, and assault. If you or someone you know has been a victim of housing discrimination, our skilled attorneys at Kennedy Hunt, P.C. may be able to help you. Fill out a questionnaire so we can understand your claim. 

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Trinity Sober Living owned this house in Hinsdale to provide housing for men recovering from alcoholism and drug addiction. (Kimberly Fornek / Pioneer Press)

On June 16, 2019, Trinity purchased a five-bedroom home located in Hinsdale, IL. Trinity interviewed to operate the home as a sober living home for persons in recovery from alcoholism or drug addiction. In August 2019, Trinity made a request for a reasonable accommodation to waive the number of unrelated persons who could live together as a family in order to operate the sober home under the zoning restrictions in Hinsdale. Instead of granting the accommodation, Hinsdale responded by filing a lawsuit to evict Trinity the next day.

On November 24, 2020, the United States Department of Justice filed a companion lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges similar violations of the Fair Housing Act and seeks to enforce its provisions against the Village of Hinsdale. The lawsuit also seeks civil penalties.  You can read more about the companion lawsuit here, and well as the DOJ press release here.

Kennedy Hunt, P.C.’s attorneys are experienced in handling Fair Housing matters. Please contact us for a consultation if you believe you have experienced Fair Housing Act violations.

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The lawsuit alleges that the city of Springfield, Illinois unlawfully discriminated against Plaintiff, Individual Advocacy Group, who provides in-home services for our clients, a group of disabled adults. The city discriminated against those adults by imposing an ordinance preventing them from living 600 ft. within another group home and failing to grant an accommodation for a conditional use permit to allow them to stay in the home. By denying such a reasonable accommodation, the city’s actions constituted a violation of the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

After oral argument on July 13, 2017, Judge Richard Mills issued a preliminary injunction preventing the city from enforcing the ordinance and evicting the individuals who live inside the home. If evicted, these individuals could face institutionalization. The city immediately appealed.

Judge Joel Flaum determined that our clients’ request for the accommodation was reasonable under the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. A failure to grant such an accommodation is a violation of those laws. This opinion affirms Judge Richard Mills’ decision, and found that the preliminary injunction is proper. This decision ensures our clients will not face the threat of eviction and institutionalization during pendency of the litigation. The opinion can be read here.

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Equip for Equality, an organization who advocates for persons with disabilities, and the Department of Justice filed amicus curiae, or “friend of the court,” briefs supporting our clients. In their brief, Equip for Equality argues that persons with disabilities benefit from community living, that Illinois has very few persons with disabilities in their communities, and that Springfield’s actions completely interfere with the right of our clients to enjoy their community. The brief filed by Equip for Equality can be read here, with more information available on their website.

Similarly, the Department of Justice argues in support of the August ruling that the zoning code enforced by the city intentionally discriminates against persons with disabilities who live in group homes, and that their failure to accommodate our clients by refusing a special use permit is in violation of the Fair Housing Act. The full brief filed by the Department of Justice can be read here.

Oral argument in this matter is scheduled for early February 2018.  

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The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on disability, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, and familial status. The Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability.

Plaintiff Individual Advocacy Group (“IAG”), provides  housing services  to adults with developmental disabilities. IAG contracts with landlords and provides in-home services to support individuals with disabilities so they can live in the community rather than an institution. Three IAG consumers live together in a home in Springfield. These individuals have severe disabilities and have extremely limited options for housing outside of institutionalization.

In 2016, the zoning administrator for the City of Springfield informed the residents of the home they were in violation of the Springfield zoning code because they were located within 600 feet of a group home. The zoning administrator told the residents they would need a special use permit to continue living in their home. The residents applied for the special use permit but were subsequently denied.

Our office filed a lawsuit after the permit was denied, arguing that refusing to grant a special use permit constitutes a failure to accommodate under the Americans with Disabilities Act, since Springfield would not alter their policies to accommodate our clients, who are individuals with disabilities, to allow them an equal opportunity to dwell in a residential neighborhood. Further, the lawsuit argues that the City’s ordinance discriminates against persons with disabilities on its face by applying the term “family” differently to persons with disabilities. The lawsuit states Springfield has chosen to interpret the term “family” in a variety of ways over the years, to pick and choose which groups of people are allowed to live together in residential areas.

This lawsuit seeks to prevent Springfield from enacting and enforcing these discriminatory zoning ordinances and policies, promoting individuals with disabilities to live independently within our communities and outside of institutions.

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