Fort Lauderdale East Partner Craig Minko and Associate Jenna Updike recently obtained a determination of no reasonable cause and dismissal of a Fair Housing Act complaint. The complaint arose from a condominium recreation association in Hollywood, FL that implemented facial recognition and fingerprinting technology for property access in 2023.
The association put in the biometric security system to help keep residents safe and manage liability.
However, one unit owner filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), claiming that the association’s refusal to make an exception for her amounted to discrimination based on her disability.
Mr. Minko and Ms. Updike worked with HUD throughout the investigation. They provided a thorough response, shared information, and participated in interviews to clarify the association’s position and the reasons behind the new security measures.
After investigating for a year, HUD determined that the resident did not present evidence of a disability that would prevent her from using the biometric system. Based on this, HUD found no reasonable cause to believe any discrimination had occurred under the Fair Housing Act Sections 804(f)(2) and 804(f)(3)(B). As a result, the complaint was dismissed, and the condo association was cleared to continue using its security system.
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