October 17, 2024

Community Legal Aid Announces Settlement in Housing Discrimination Case Against the Chicopee Housing Authority

BY Community Legal Aid

Springfield, MA: Community Legal Aid is pleased to announce that a comprehensive settlement has been reached in United States v. Chicopee Housing Authority et al.  In the case, Community Legal Aid represented three individuals who alleged that the Chicopee Housing Authority (CHA) and its former Executive Director engaged in unlawful housing discrimination. The complaint detailed allegations that the defendants failed to properly recognize and protect the rights of tenants with disabilities, engaged in race and national origin discrimination, and retaliated against an individual who was cooperating with a federal investigation. Community Legal Aid’s clients received a combined $215,000 for the harm they suffered, litigation costs, and attorneys’ fees.

“Our clients were determined to hold the Chicopee Housing Authority accountable and to change its practices – not only for themselves, but for future tenants. Their courage paid off. Hopefully more tenants will learn of this case and feel empowered to enforce their rights,” said Gabriel Fonseca, Coordinating Attorney in the Fair Housing Unit of Community Legal Aid.

In addition to the monetary awards to CLA’s clients, the Chicopee Housing Authority agreed to widespread changes that will impact all of their public housing residents. On October 11, 2024, Magistrate Judge Katherine A. Robertson of the Federal District Court in Springfield approved a Consent Decree that had been reached with the Chicopee Housing Authority and the U.S. Department of Justice, which had initiated the lawsuit against the CHA for its violations of fair housing laws. Under the terms of the consent decree, the CHA agreed to set up a $435,000 fund to compensate other residents who were harmed by the CHA’s discriminatory practices. The housing authority will also update its policies and procedures, hire a new staff person to oversee disability rights including reasonable accommodation requests, ensure its staff participate in fair housing training, and improve the physical accessibility of several apartments. Additionally, the CHA will pay a $25,000 fine to the federal government, and the former Executive Director Monica Blazic will have no affiliation with the housing authority after December 31, 2024.

Christa Douaihy, Coordinating Attorney in the Fair Housing Unit of Community Legal Aid said, “Public housing serves a vital role in every community. By agreeing to ongoing training and systemic reform of its reasonable accommodation practices, we believe the Chicopee Housing Authority can best ensure every tenant is afforded equal opportunity and dignity in their housing.”