Minn. Landlords Settle Housing Discrimination Case
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Two Detroit Lakes landlords are settling allegations that they violated the federal Fair Housing Act by refusing to rent to a person because of race.
Pearl Beck and her son, Gregory Beck, agreed to pay $25,500 to a woman who the government says was the victim of discrimination.
The Becks jointly own the property. They were sued by the U.S. Attorney's Office in May 2009.
The government alleged that in July 2007, a prospective tenant was rejected for a rental unit in Detroit Lakes because she was African-American. The Becks eventually rented the property to a white man.
Gregory Beck says the woman's race was not an issue but the fact that she had a dog -- and his mother does not rent to people with pets -- was.
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