INDIANAPOLIS — The Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana and fair housing organizations in six different states announced a settlement has been reached in a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Clover Group.
That company's 38 properties named in the lawsuit include Gardens on Gateway Senior Apartments (McCordsville); Pleasant Run Senior Apartments (Indianapolis); and Wynbrooke Senior Apartments (Indianapolis).
The properties, for people 55 years and older, were alleged to have inaccessible parking spaces, mailboxes, bathrooms, and routes to units and public common use areas.
The $7.1 million settlement will improve access for people with disabilities at the senior apartment buildings. It includes $3 million in retrofits to public and common areas and $3.375 million in funds set aside to pay for modifications to individual units at the request of any resident or applicant.
The rest of the money will go to the fair housing organizations that brought the suit to cover their expenses.
“Across Indiana, tenants are facing a housing crisis, but for persons with disabilities, that crisis is even more acute because of older housing that is not required to be accessible or because of newer housing that is not built to meet fair housing design and construction requirements,” said Amy Nelson, executive director of the FHCCI.
In addition to Indiana, the alleged violations happened at properties in Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania. The full complaint can be read by clicking here.
13News reached out to Clover Group for a response for the settlement and is waiting on a response.