Source: https://www.justice.gov/crt/housing-and-civil-enforcement-cases-documents-95
Timestamp: 2019-02-15 21:23:53
Document Index: 442011210

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 3612', '§ 3614', '§ 1345', '§ 3612', '§ 3614', '§ 1391', '§ 3602', '§ 100', '§ 3604', '§ 100', '§ 3604', '§ 3610', '§ 3610', '§ 3610', '§ 3610', '§ 3602', '§ 3601', '§ 3602', '§ 3601', '§ 3612', '§ 3614', '§ 3614']

v.	Case No. ________________
JAMES P. BRAY and CARTER DOYLE,
individually and d/b/a as DOYLE
AND DOYLE ARCHITECTS, a
2. The United States brings this action on behalf of Andrew Schmidt, pursuant to Section 812(o) of the Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. § 3612(o). The United States also brings this action pursuant to Section 814(a) of the Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. § 3614(a).
3. This Court has jurisdiction over this action under 28 U.S.C. § 1345, 42 U.S.C. § 3612(o), and 42 U.S.C. § 3614(a).
4. Venue is proper in the Urbana Division of the Central District of Illinois under 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b), for the events giving rise to this claim occurred in Champaign County, Illinois, which is in the Urbana Division of the Central District of Illinois.
5. The John Randolph Atrium Apartments (Building) is a residential dwelling complex located at 609-611 South Randolph Street, Champaign, Illinois, in the Central District of Illinois. The Building consists of three stories containing 36 units, 12 of which are located on the ground floor. All the units in the Building were designed and constructed for first occupancy after March 13, 1991. Building permits were issued for the Building in 1995 and an occupancy permit for the units in the Building was issued in October, 1996.
9. Defendant James P. Bray is the developer, present and principal owner of the Building and was the manager of the Building when Mr. Schmidt lived there.
10. Defendant Carter Doyle of Doyle and Doyle Architects is the architect with whom Bray contracted to design plans for a multi-family building and who designed the architectural plans for the Building. Carter Doyle is licensed by the State of Illinois to practice as an architect. His architect's license number is 1011021. He has been licensed to practice as an architect in Illinois since 1984.
11. Defendant Doyle and Doyle Architects is a proprietorship owned and operated by Carter Doyle. It is located at 207 S. Dunlap, Savoy, IL 61874. It is licensed by the State of Illinois as a professional design firm. Its license number is 184-000780. It is the architectural firm that designed the Building through the work of Mr. Doyle.
THE HUD COMPLAINANT
12. Andrew Schmidt is a person with a disability under 42 U.S.C. § 3602(h) and 24 C.F.R. § 100.201. Mr. Schmidt is substantially limited in one or more major life activities because of his disability. He is a quadriplegic and uses a wheelchair for mobility and has difficulty doing manual tasks with his hands because of his disability. He resided in a ground floor unit in the Building from (on or about) August 15, 1996, through August 14, 1997.
14. The plans for the Building that Carter Doyle of Doyle and Doyle Architects designed and supplied to James P. Bray did not comply with the design and construction requirements set forth in the Act. 42 U.S.C. § 3604(f)(3)(C); 24 C.F.R. § 100.205(c).
16 . In their design and construction of the Building, defendants failed to consider and implement the requirements of the federal Fair Housing Act pertaining to the design and construction of multi-family dwellings set forth in 42 U.S.C. § 3604(f)(3)(C).
light switches, electrical outlets, thermostats and other environmental controls in accessible locations; (iii) reinforcements in bathroom walls to allow later installation of grab bars; and
usable bathrooms such that an individual using a wheelchair can maneuver about the space.
18. Although Mr. Schmidt resided in one of three ground floor units which provided greater accessibility than in the remaining nine ground floor individual units, throughout his tenancy at the Building he personally encountered features in the public and common use areas which were inaccessible to him. Included among these inaccessible features at the Building were the following:
Eight steps, or risers, leading to the primary or east entrance which precluded him from entering the Building through that entrance;
19. On or about May 21, 1998, Mr. Schmidt filed a timely verified complaint with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) pursuant to Section 810(a) of the Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. § 3610(a), alleging discrimination in housing on the basis of handicap. In his complaint, Schmidt alleged the Building was not designed and constructed in accordance with the accessibility requirements of the Fair Housing Act.
20. Pursuant to the requirements of 42 U.S.C. §§ 3610(a), (b), and (f), the Secretary of HUD conducted and completed an investigation of the complaint filed by Schmidt, attempted conciliation without success, and prepared a final investigative report.
21. Based on the information gathered during the investigation, on October 21, 2002, the Secretary, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 3610(g)(1), determined that reasonable cause existed to believe that discriminatory housing practices had occurred and accordingly, on or about October 23, 2002, the Secretary issued a Charge of Discrimination pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 3610(g)(2)(A), charging the defendants with engaging in discriminatory housing practices in violation of the Fair Housing Act.
27. Andrew Schmidt is an aggrieved person, as defined in 42 U.S.C. § 3602(i), and has suffered damages as a result of the conduct of defendants James P. Bray, Carter Doyle, and Doyle and Doyle Architects, described above.
28. The discriminatory actions of defendants James P. Bray, Carter Doyle, and Doyle and Doyle Architects were intentional, willful and taken in disregard for the rights of persons with disabilities such as Andrew Schmidt.
31. The conduct of defendant Carter Doyle, individually and doing business as Doyle and Doyle Architects, described in paragraphs 14 - 18 constitutes a denial to a group of persons of rights granted by the Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 3601-3619, which denial raises an issue of general public importance.
32. In addition to Andrew Schmidt, there may be other persons who have been injured by the discriminatory actions of defendants James P. Bray, Carter Doyle, and Doyle and Doyle Architects who are "aggrieved persons" as defined in 42 U.S.C. § 3602(i). Such persons may have suffered actual injury and damages as a result of the above actions and practices.
33. The discriminatory actions of defendants James P. Bray, Carter Doyle, and Doyle and Doyle Architects were intentional, willful and taken in disregard for the rights of Mr. Schmidt and other persons with disabilities.
1. Declares that the policies and practices of defendants James P. Bray, Carter Doyle, and Doyle and Doyle Architects, as alleged herein, violate the Fair Housing Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. §§ 3601-3619;
2. Enjoins defendants James P. Bray, Carter Doyle, and Doyle and Doyle Architects, their officers, employees, agents, successors and all other persons in active concert or participation with any of them, from:
3. Orders defendants to allow access to the common and public use areas and the individual dwelling units at John Randolph Atrium Apartments and to take any other actions appropriate to ensure that any retrofits required to bring the complex into compliance with the accessibility provisions of the Fair Housing Act can be made in a prompt and efficient manner.
4. Awards such damages, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §§ 3612(o)(3) and 42 U.S.C. § 3614(d)(1)(B), to fully compensate each person aggrieved by the discriminatory housing practices of defendants James P. Bray, Carter Doyle, and Doyle and Doyle Architects, for injuries resulting from the defendants' discriminatory conduct;
6. Assesses a civil penalty against defendants James P. Bray, Carter Doyle, and Doyle and Doyle Architects, in an amount authorized by 42 U.S.C. § 3614(d)(1)(C) and 28 C.F.R. 85.3(b)(3), in order to vindicate the public interest.
Illinois Bar ARDC No. 57161
Document Filed: December 18, 2002. > > ____________________________