A woman who thought she had landed a one-bedroom apartment at The Vintage at Mesta Park in Oklahoma City says she was turned away once the property owner learned she would be moving in with her 3-year-old son. Now the owner and other defendants have agreed to pay $52,500 to settle a federal housing discrimination case.
According to KOKH, the woman inquired about renting the unit and was initially told by property owner Jacqueline Fox that she had been approved to move in. Investigators say Fox later refused to rent to her once she learned the woman planned to live there with her young son.
Investigators say Fox told the woman she could not move in because no children had lived at the property in more than eight years and that it was not “kid friendly,” the station reports. The woman then filed a complaint with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which referred her case to the Justice Department.
Settlement Requires Payment, New Policies and Training
Under the agreement, the defendants agreed to pay $52,500 to the woman who was denied the apartment, the station’s report notes. The settlement also requires the defendants to implement nondiscrimination policies and practices, and the same report notes they must undergo training aimed at preventing future discrimination…