Justice Department Secures $750K Settlement in Macon-Area Housing Discrimination Case
MACON, Ga. — The U.S. Department of Justice has reached a $750,000 settlement in a housing discrimination case involving a Macon-area apartment complex, marking one of the largest individual settlements of its kind.
The agreement resolves allegations that Indian Oaks Apartments LTD, Russell Management Services LLC, H.J. Russell & Company and The Russell Realty LP violated the Fair Housing Act by denying a mother’s repeated requests to move to a ground-floor unit for her son, who has a genetic disorder causing permanent mobility impairment.
According to the lawsuit, filed in October 2024 in federal court, the family made multiple requests over a 14-month period for a reasonable accommodation. Despite the availability of ground-floor units, the request was not granted.
Federal officials said the denial forced the mother to rely on her other children to help carry her son in and out of the apartment, causing significant physical strain and emotional hardship for the family.
“This settlement is the second largest ever obtained by the department in an individual housing discrimination case,” officials said.
Harmeet K. Dhillon, of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, said the case highlights the importance of protecting housing rights for people with disabilities.
“The defendants should have moved this family with a terminally ill child to a ground-floor unit without delay,” Dhillon said. “Americans with disabilities have the right to equal access to housing in the United States, and this Justice Department will continue to ensure the protection of this right.”
William R. Keyes also emphasized the legal obligations of property owners.
“Refusing to move a terminally ill child and his family, when ground-floor units were available, was a clear violation of both law and decency,” Keyes said. “Rental property owners and their employees must know and follow the Fair Housing Act, as denying reasonable accommodations is illegal.”
The settlement requires the defendants to pay $750,000 to the family, implement policy changes, provide training and report to the federal government on future accommodation requests.
The case originated from a complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which investigated and issued a charge of discrimination before the case moved to federal court.
Officials said the resolution reflects continued enforcement of civil rights protections in housing.
