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DRM has filed a federal law suit against the Housing Authority of Prince George’s County (HAPGC) alleging violations of the Rehabilitation Act, Fair Housing Act Amendments, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The lawsuit was filed by five public housing residents in Prince George’s County who have consistently requested wheelchair accessible housing units from HAPGC. HAPGC regularly failed to respond to the resident requests and transferred them from one inaccessible unit to another inaccessible unit. The residents continue to live in inaccessible housing units.

“I was homeless in 2010 and applied to public housing in Prince George’s County because I thought they would have accessible units and accommodations to offer me. I have never been offered an accessible unit. I cannot use my wheelchair in the bathroom and there are no grab bars in the bathroom for me to us so that I can safely transfer to my commode,” said one of the Plaintiffs, Alonzo Watts about why he is filing the case.

Another Plaintiff, Andre Phillips states, “I am just trying to have an accessible unit like I requested in 2013. I can’t do basic things in my unit. My bathroom is so small that I have to hurt myself just to get in there to do daily stuff like use the bathroom.”

“HAPGC has long acknowledged the lack of accessible public housing in its federal reporting requirements. HAPGC just hasn’t done anything about the lack of accessible housing and our clients have had to suffer because of it,” attorney David Prater said about the case.

By federal law, public housing should have accessible housing to offer to low-income people with disabilities. Disability Rights Maryland encourages other public housing residents who have been denied accessible housing or have not otherwise had their needs addressed by HAPGC to come forward by calling our office at 410-727-6352.

The lawsuit alleges that HAPGC has failed to maintain accessible public housing units in accordance with federal regulation, has failed to maintain policies that addresses the needs of persons with disabilities in public housing in Prince George’s County, and has offered housing on discriminatory terms to persons with disabilities.

The lawsuit was filed on the heels of 26^th Anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which the suit alleges HAPGC violated.

Media Coverage:

The Daily Record

NBC Washington

DRM is seeking to hire an attorney to advocate on behalf of the fair housing rights of people with disabilities. Join our dynamic disability rights team! See the full job description for details and info about how to apply.

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DRM will receive an award from the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) for our successful housing advocacy on June 15, 2016 at NDRN’s annual conference during a plenary session with HUD Secretary Castro delivering the keynote address, and our plaintiffs and allies present. See our joint press release for more information.

Media Coverage:

Fox Baltimore

The Ken Capone Equal Employment Act (EEA), named for DRM Board member Ken Capone, will abolish the payment of subminimum wages to people with disabilities inMaryland by 2020. The legislation makes Maryland the second U.S. state to eliminate this discriminatory exception to Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. The EEA will phase out “sheltered workshops” that pay people as little as pennies per hour and require the Maryland Department of Disabilities and the Developmental Disabilities Administration to implement a 4-year transition plan to move individuals from segregated day programs to competitive integrated employment. Each individual currently making less than minimum wage pursuant to a 14(c) certificate will receive an individual plan for the phase out. DRM participates on the Employment First Steering Committee that is developing the policies and infrastructure to support transition to competitive integrated employment.

HB 420/SB 417 Bill Signing (photo credit: Executive Office of the Governor)

SB 765 will protect people with disabilities and their families from discrimination in private custody, visitation, adoption and guardianship proceedings by requiring any findings that a person’s disability affects the best interest of a child to be recorded in writing; allowing the party with a disability to show that supportive parenting services would prevent such finding; placing the burden of proof on the party alleging that the disability affects the child’s best interest; and conforming the Family Code definition of “disability” to federal law. DRM was pleased to work with National Federation of the Blind, People on the Go, The Arc Maryland, Maryland Association of Centers for Independent Living, other members of the Maryland Disability Rights Coalition, the National Council on Disability, and bill sponsors Senator Jamie Raskin & Delegate Sandy Rosenberg on this groundbreaking legislation.

SB 765 bill signing (photo credit: Executive Office of the Governor)