United States v. Westside Building Co.

382 F. Supp. 148, 1973 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12853
CourtDistrict Court, C.D. California
DecidedJuly 3, 1973
DocketCiv. No. 73-1527-AAH
StatusPublished

This text of 382 F. Supp. 148 (United States v. Westside Building Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, C.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Westside Building Co., 382 F. Supp. 148, 1973 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12853 (C.D. Cal. 1973).

Opinion

CONSENT DECREE

HAUK, District Judge.

The United States instituted this action as of this date against defendants Westside Building Company and Santa Monica Construction, which are California corporations engaged in the construction and management of apartment buildings in Los Angeles, California, and against defendant Abraham Rothenberg, who is the president of defendants Westside Building Company and Santa Monica Construction, alleging racial discrimination in housing in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq. The Complaint alleges that the defendants own and operate several apartment buildings in the Los Angeles area containing approximately 329 units. The Complaint further alleges that the defendants have refused to rent dwellings and to negotiate for the rental of dwellings because of race and color, have required different terms and conditions with respect to the rental of dwellings because of race, [149]*149color and national origin, and have made statements with respect to the rental of dwellings which indicate a preference, limitation and discrimination based on race, color and national origin, and have represented to persons because of race and color that apartments are not available for inspection and rental when such dwellings have in fact been available. The Complaint alleges that the defendants’ conduct constitutes a pattern or practice or resistance to the full enjoyment of rights secured by Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, 42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq., and that the denial of equal housing opportunity to a group of persons raises an issue of general public importance.

The defendants deny that they have engaged in any and all of the practices alleged in the Complaint said to constitute a pattern or practice of racial discrimination, and state that they have followed a nondiscriminatory policy. The defendants are, however, prepared to undertake an affirmative program of compliance with the Fair Housing Act. Accordingly, without a trial or an adjudication of this matter on the merits and without an admission on the part of any of the defendants as to the accuracy or truthfulness of any of the allegations of discrimination contained in the Complaint, the plaintiff and the defendants consent to the entry of the following decree:

I

It is hereby ordered, adjudged and decreed that defendants Westside Building Company, Santa Monica Construction, and Abraham Rothenberg, their employees, agents and successors, and all persons acting in concert or participation with any of them, be and they are hereby permanently enjoined from:

1. Discriminating against any person or group of persons on account of race, color, religion or national origin in any aspect of the sale or rental1 of dwellings;

2. Denying a dwelling or otherwise making a dwelling unavailable to any person on account of race, color, religion or national origin;

3. Representing to any person on account of race, color, religion or national origin that any dwelling is unavailable for inspection or rental when, in fact, such dwelling is so available;

4. Discriminating against any person in the terms and conditions of the sale or rental of a dwelling, or in the provision of services in connection therewith, on account of race, color, religion or national origin;

5. Failing or refusing to extend the same courtesies and treatment to any person on account of race, color, religion or national origin in the showing and rental of dwellings as are extended to other persons;

6. Making or causing to be made any statement' with respect to the sale or rental of a dwelling indicating a limitation, preference or discrimination on account of race, color, religion, or national origin;

7. Interfering with any person on account of race, color, religion or national origin in the exercise or enjoyment of the right to equal housing opportunity;

8. Employing different or more stringent procedures and standards in accepting and processing the application of any person on account of race, color, religion, or national origin than are used in accepting and processing the applications of other persons;

9. Failing to recruit, hire, promote or assign any actual or prospective employee or other person on account of race, color, religion or national origin, or engaging in any discriminatory employment practice within the meaning of 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq.

II

INSTRUCTIONS TO EMPLOYEES

A. The defendants shall, within 20 days of the entry of this Order, conduct [150]*150an educational program for their rental personnel and other agents and employees to inform them of the provisions of this Order and their duties under the Fair Housing Act. Such program shall include the following:

1. A copy of this Order shall be furnished to each agent and employee.
2. By general meeting or individual conference, the defendants shall inform each agent and employee of the provisions of this Order and of the duties of the defendants and their agents and employees under the Fair Housing Act. Each agent and employee shall also be informed that his failure to comply with the provisions of this Order shall subject him to dismissal or other appropriate disciplinary action.
3. Each agent and employee shall sign a statement that he has read this Order and that he fully understands his responsibilities thereunder.
4. The foregoing program shall be completed within 20 days of the entry of this Order, and thereafter, upon the hiring of any new employee, within five days of the commencement of his duties.

Ill

AFFIRMATIVE STEPS

A. The defendants shall inform the public generally, and their customers and clients specifically, of the defendants’ nondiscriminatory policy by the following actions:

1. Each of defendants’ application forms and lease agreements shall contain a prominent statement to the effect that apartments will be shown and made available for rental to all persons without regard to race, color, religion or national origin in compliance with the 1968 Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. § 3604. In addition, at the time of application, prospective tenants of the defendants are to be informed of this provision and are to be informed orally or in writing of the defendants’ uniform rental application standards and procedures, including financial requirements, credit checks, waiting periods, etc.
2. All advertising in newspapers, on pamphlets, billboards, brochures, handouts, writings of any kind or through any other media, shall include a statement prominently placed and easily understood, indicating that the advertised dwellings are rented and made available without regard to race, color, religion or national origin.2
3.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
382 F. Supp. 148, 1973 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12853, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-westside-building-co-cacd-1973.