WASHINGTON — The Justice Department announced a landmark civil rights settlement Wednesday with the city of Hesperia, California, and its sheriff's department over allegations they illegally discriminated against Black and Latino renters.
Under the terms of the settlement, which requires final sign off from a federal judge, the city and sheriff's department must pay nearly $1 million and fully repeal a crime-free housing ordinance that mandates landlords to evict those who police reported had been involved in criminal activity, even if the offense was minor or if it didn't result in formal charges, an arrest or conviction.
The agreement is the first-ever settlement for the Justice Department in a case challenging such an ordinance under the federal Fair Housing Act and could put on notice the approximately 2,000 other communities around the country who have enacted similar forms of 'crime-free' programs, according to Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke.
Under the agreement, the city and sheriff's department will agree to pay $950,000, with the bulk of the settlement -- $670,000 -- going to those who reported harm from the ordinance. In a call with reporters Wednesday, Clarke described in stark detail the impact the policy had on members of the community.
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