Discrimination Law Trumps Safety and Property Rights

Written By: Jerry Hanson  |  Posted: Thursday, October 20th, 2011

            The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has charged a West Salem landlord, Darlene Dovenberg, of violating the Fair Housing Act for refusing to allow a single mother to rent a property the landlord considers unsafe for a single mother with a young child. Darlene told the LaCrosse Trbune, "I just believe that safety comes first." She said, "I did not feel like it would be a place for a man and a baby either."

            Dovenberg told the Tribune she was merely trying to protect the woman and her child because the house sits 500 feet off the road down a steep hill and has no satellite TV, and no cell phone reception.

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