Columbus is one of 38 cities in the U.S. cited by a fair-housing group in a lawsuit alleging discrimination and civil rights violations. Mike Foley reports.
The National Fair Housing Alliance and 20 civil rights groups are suing mortgage giant Fannie Mae for allegedly keeping its foreclosed properties in white neighborhoods in better condition than those in African-American and Latino neighborhoods. The suit was filed after the alliance conducted an investigation of thousands of Fannie Mae properties over several years, which found a pattern of discrimination. The probe found 53 percent of Fannie Mae homes in white neighborhoods had fewer than five maintenance problems, compared with 24 percent of properties in minority neighborhoods. 19 percent of Fannie Mae homes in white neighborhoods had broken, boarded or unsecured windows, compared with 41.5 percent in minority neighborhoods. Fannie Mae disputes the allegations, saying its maintenance standards ensure all properties are treated equally. Cleveland, Toledo and Dayton are among the other Ohio cities mentioned in the class-action lawsuit. This suit is similar to a complaint filed with Fannie Mae in 2015 by several housing groups, including the Central Ohio Fair Housing Association. The complainants say this suit shows Fannie Mae has yet to improve its standards.
