The city of Los Angeles has agreed to pay $38.2 million to settle a 2017 lawsuit over its multifamily housing units.
Los Angeles had been accused of falsely claiming on federal documents that its affordable housing units that were built with federal funds were accessible to people with disabilities.
Driving the news: The lawsuit was filed by the U.S. Department of Justice on behalf of Mei Ling, a Los Angeles resident who uses a wheelchair, and the Fair Housing Council of San Fernando Valley, a disability rights advocacy group.
- The lawsuit alleged that the city failed to make its affordable housing options accessible to individuals with disabilities for at least six years.
- Some of the issues highlighted include steep slopes, high counters, and entryways that did not allow wheelchair access.
- Los Angeles was accused of not maintaining a publicly available list of accessible units and their features. Furthermore, the city was claimed to have falsely certified to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that it complied with accessibility requirements.
State of play: Housing projects receiving federal grant funds must adhere to federal accessibility laws.
- These laws mandate that a certain percentage of housing units must be accessible to individuals with mobility impairments and sensory impairments. These requirements also include providing a list of accessible units with their features.
Flashback: Prior to this settlement, Los Angeles faced a similar lawsuit in 2016 regarding accessible housing issues.
