Thread: Landlord sues over closing of apartments

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/ne ... 451401.htm

Posted on Tue, Aug. 23, 2005


JUPITER
Landlord sues over closing of apartments

BY JILL BARTON
Associated Press

WEST PALM BEACH - A landlord whose hurricane-damaged apartments were condemned sued the town of Jupiter for more than $2.6 million in damages on Monday, alleging discrimination against his Hispanic immigrant tenants.

John F. White, who bought the 30-unit Young Apartments complex in March 2000, said he was immediately subjected to harassment and ''excessive and selective inspections'' because he rented to ''a politically unpopular group,'' according to the suit.

One code violation cited an ''inoperable car,'' which was a $50,000 vehicle that had a flat tire for less than 24 hours, the suit said.

Tony Carpentiere, Jupiter's deputy building official, said the units were not condemned but labeled uninhabitable, as were apartments and homes throughout the town that were excessively damaged by the September hurricanes.

''It sounds like someone filing a lawsuit in response to legitimate government activities,'' said town attorney Thomas Baird.

The lawsuit alleges that Jupiter residents are increasingly complaining about the growing number of Hispanic immigrants in the area. As many as 3,000 immigrants have moved to the town to seek construction work .

When town officials began discussing creating a neighborhood resource center where migrants could gather to seek day labor jobs, one group of residents, called Jupiter Neighbors Against Illegal Labor, repeatedly protested, arguing that taxpayer money was being used to support illegal immigration.

Baird said any comments by residents that are discriminatory ``are not reflective of the Town Council or the town administration.''

But the lawsuit alleges that town officials violated the constitutional rights of White and his tenants by showing ''ill will'' toward ``an undesirable population.''

In January, police violated the Fourth Amendment when they entered White's apartments at 5:30 a.m. without notice or search warrants and awoke his sleeping tenants, the suit says. Police were enforcing a new ordinance that allows no more than five people who are not all related by blood or marriage to live in a housing unit.

Landlord sues over closing of apartments

Sounds suspiciously like a slumlord.
Must think he is still in Mexico.
By ''a politically unpopular group,'' do you mean "illegal aliens?"