Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-05749/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-05749-6/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 443
Nature of Suit: Civil Rights Accommodations
Cause of Action: 42:405 Fair Housing Act

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BRANCART & BRANCART

Christopher Brancart (SBN 128475)

Liza Ciistol-Deman (SBN 190516)

Post Office Box 686

Pescadero, California 94060

Tel: (650) 879-0141

Fax: (650) 879-1103

cbranca rt@brancart. com

lcristoldeman@brancart. com

Attorney for Plaintiff

Fair Hol¡sing of Marin

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

FAIR HOUSING OF MARIN, a

Galifornia Non-Profit Gorporation,

Plaintiff,

Gase No. C-06-05749 EMC

TPROPOSEDI GONSENT DECREE

Àruo prtr¡lL óRDER

RAMONA M. FLOOD; ELIZABETH F.

MAGK; DONNA MAGK; DANA M.

LIMOLI; JOAN FASSI; and, EUGENE

FASSI;

Defendants.

This action was brought by plaintiffs, Adilia Aguirre Guerra and Fair Housing of

Marin, alleging that defendants violated the federal Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. section

3601 et seq. and the Galifornia Fair Employment and Housing Act, Government Code

section 12955 et seq., by discriminating against Latinos based on national origin in the

rental of apartments located at 350 and 356 Du Bois Street in San Rafael, California

(hereafter, "Du Bois Apartments"). Plaintiff Adilia Aguine Guerra previously dismissed

her claims against defendants by way of stipulation on June 6,2007. Fair Housing of

Marin is the sole remaining plaintiff.

Defendants have denied that they discriminated in the rental of housing or

otherwise violated any of the laws alleged by plaintiffs.

The parties have agreed that in order to avoid protracted and costly litigation the

controversy should be resolved without a trial or adjudication on the merits and

tp

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therefore have consented to entry of this decree and order. By entering into this

consent decree and final order ("order"), defendants make no admission of liability or

wrongdoing in connection with the allegations and claims made by plaintiffs.

It is hereby ordered, adiudged and decreed that:

1. Defendant shall make a paymento plaintiff Fair Housing of Marin in the

amount of twenty-eight thousand dollars ($28,000.00) in the form of a check made

payable to the Attorney-Client Trust Account of Brancart & Brancart. This amount is

inclusive of all damages and attorneys'fees and costs to be paid to plaintiff Fair

Housing of Marin. At least $14,000 shall be paid to plaintiff within 60 days of entry of

this order. The balance shall be paid no later than December 31 ,2007.

2. Plaintiff Fair Housing of Marin and defendants shall execute mutual

waivers and releases indicating that this consent decree and final order constitutes a

full and final settlement of any and all claims that they have related to the subject matter

of this lawsuit. Those mutualwaivers and releases shall include a waiver of all known

and unknown claims and a waiver of the rights of all parties under California Givil Code

section 1542.

3. Defendants, their employees, agents and all others acting on their behalf

shall comply with the following terms during the duration of this order:

(a) Defendantshalt comply with allfederal and state housing discrimination

laws;

(b) Defendants Ramona Flood, Joan Fassi, Eugene Fassi, and any of

defendants' agents who have contact with tenants, contact with applicants, or who have

authority to make decisions regarding applícants shall attend a special fair housing

training session conducted by Fair Housing of Marin once within sixty days of entry of

this order, and a refresher course also conducted by Fair Housing of Marin within 60

days of the one-year anniversary of the entry of this order;1

lAttending community-wide trainÍng sessions that are open to the general public

(continued..,)

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(c) Defendants shalldisplay afair housing poster, HUD form 928.1, in a

conspicuous location at the Du Bois Apartments;2

(d) Defendants shall retain records reflecting the existence of vacancies at

the Du Bois Apartmenis for a period of not less than three years;

(e) Defendants shall request the name and phone number, or name and

email address, of all persons who inquire about renting when there is a vacant

apartment at the Du Bois Apartments, and maintain records reflecting such information

for a period of not less than three years;

(f) Defendants shall retain all rental applications and supporting

documentation icluding but not limited to credit reports, for a period of not less than

three years. This provision is intended to encompass applications received from all

individuals, regardless of whether the application is complete or incomplete, accepted

or rejected;

(g) Defendants shall engage in affirmative advertising for allvacancies at the

Du Bois Apartments by sending an emailto the GanalAlliance a¡d Novato Human

Needs3 regarding all available apartments, and by including the statement, "We're â

Fair Housing Províder," or words to that effect, in all web postings, web ads, print ads,

or flyers advertising vacancies at the Du Bois Apartments; and,

(h) Defendants shall self-report any housing discrimination complaints made

1(...continued)

shall not satisfy the terms of this order. lnstead, defendants must attend special

training sessions, which shall be designed by Fair Housing of Marin staff to cover all fair

housing laws with an emphasis on the allegations and evidence raised in this action.

The costs of these training sessions are included in the payment referenced in

paragraph 1, above. Defendants should contact Fair Housing of Marin at(415) 457-

5025 to schedule mutually convenient dates, times, and locations for these training

sessions.

zCopies of HUD forms are available free of charge by calling HUD at (800) 669-

9777, or on HUD's website, located at wv'iw.hud.gov.

3Plaint¡ff will provide to defendants the names of appropriate staff members at

each agency and their email addresses.

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against them, or any of them, to the U.S. Department ofHousing & Urban

Development.

4. This order shall be in effect for a period of three years from the date of

entry and the Court shall retain jurisdiction for purposes of enforcement. This order will

terminate at the end of the three-year period.

5. The parties agree to attempt to work out in good faith any disputes that

arise under the terms of this order. Only after good faith mediation attempts have been

exhausted wíll the parties request the assistance of the Court in resolving the dispute.

Ordered this _ day of 2007.

ffin

United States Magistrate Judge

Approved as to content and form:

BRANCART & BRANCART

ry"trt. "

Dated: !Ñt 

{e ,2007.

Attorneys for Plaintiff, Fair Housing of Marin

ROGERS JOSEPH O'DONNELL

Attorneys for Defendants

tp

11th September 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORN

I

A

IT IS SO ORDERED

Judge Edward M. Chen

Case 3:06-cv-05749-EMC Document 46 Filed 09/11/07 Page 4 of 4