Following an extensive investigation of 14 newly-constructed apartment properties in northern and eastern Indiana—including site visits and inspections—the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana (FHCCI) identified multiple violations of the Fair Housing Act’s accessibility requirements. FHCCI approached the developers and owners of the properties with its findings, alleging that they had: (a) constructed the apartment buildings with inaccessible routes to ground floor units and to the accessible parking and other amenities; (b) failed to provide accessible hardware for doors; and (c)built bathrooms that lacked accessible sinks and adequate turning spaces.
FHCCI’s two-year investigation focused on the following apartment communities developed by Construction Management and Design, Inc., Property Maintenance and Management LLC and others, including: Bison Ridge Estates (Elwood); Briar Ridge Apartments and Villas, Tippe River Downs, Lakeland Villa Apartments (Warsaw); Briarwood Apartments and Villas (LaPorte); Long Beach Cove Villas (Michigan City); Main Street Centre (Culver); Hi-Tec Apartments, Parkview Place/Plymouth Senior Facilities, Plum Street Villas (Plymouth); Prairie Ridge Apartments (New Carlisle); Bremen Park Apartments (Bremen); Quail Ridge Apartments (Columbia City); and Lakeview Apartments (Lakeville).
FHCCI seeks a resolution that will increase accessibility consistent with the Fair Housing Act throughout all of the complexes and that makes individual apartments accessible when it is feasible to do so. It also seeks modifications at the request of tenants who need accessible features in their individual apartment to meet their individual needs.
The case team is Sara Pratt and Reed Colfax, with paralegal assistance from Callan Showers. Our co-counsel was Tom Crishon of Indiana Disability Rights.