The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, in collaboration with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and its Office of Inspector General (HUD OIG), hosted a roundtable in Savannah aimed at addressing sexual harassment in housing. This event is part of the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative.
“Sexual harassment or abuse by a landlord is never acceptable,” stated Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Our office will continue to vigorously pursue justice and compensation for vulnerable tenants who endure such predatory behavior.”
HUD Inspector General Oliver Davis emphasized the importance of safe living environments, saying, “Everyone deserves to live in a safe environment without fear of being sexually harassed or assaulted by their landlord or anyone in a position of power over their housing.”
The roundtable, held at Chatham County Library on Bull Street, included representatives from various federal agencies as well as fair housing organizations and related service providers.
The Fair Housing Act, enforced by the Department of Justice through U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Civil Rights Division, prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, and disability. The Act includes provisions against sexual harassment by landlords or others with power over housing.
The Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative aims to identify barriers to reporting such harassment and increase awareness among survivors and those they may report to. It also seeks to collaborate with federal, state, and local partners to facilitate reporting and connect survivors with resources.
Community organizations play a critical role by identifying misconduct and recommending reporting it to relevant authorities like the Justice Department or HUD.
Annually, the Justice Department prosecutes cases involving severe misconduct including sexual exposure by landlords towards tenants or prospective tenants, solicitation of sexual favors for reduced rent or repairs, persistent unwanted advances towards tenants, and retaliatory evictions against those who resist such overtures. Since its inception, the initiative has resulted in 42 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered nearly $17 million for victims.
Earlier this year saw a significant development when a Savannah-area landlord agreed to a $600,000 settlement over allegations of long-term sexual harassment against female tenants.
Individuals with information about or who have been victims of sexual harassment in housing are encouraged to report it via HUD OIG Hotline at 1-800-347-3735 or online at www.hudoig.gov/hotline. Complaints can also be filed with HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at https://www.hud.gov/fairhousing/fileacomplaint.
Further contacts include:
- The U.S. Attorney’s Office: 912-652-4422; USGAS.Civil.Rights@usdoj.gov
- The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division: 844-380-6178; fairhousing@usdoj.gov
More information about these initiatives can be found at www.justice.gov/crt.