Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia, Inc. (HOME) and co-counsel, Ge’Andra Johnson of Johnson Legal, PLC, have reached a global settlement between HOME of VA, their clients Ronald Maybush and K.M., a minor child, and a manufactured home park in New Kent County, Virginia. HOME and  Johnson filed suit against the manufactured home park in the Federal District Courthouse in Richmond, in late 2022.  Ronald Maybush brought the suit on behalf of himself and his granddaughter, of whom he has legal custody.  The suit alleged violations of state and Federal Fair Housing laws due to discriminatory harassment based on race.

The suit alleged that his granddaughter K.M., a minor child of mixed-race child of Black and White heritage, at that time elementary-school aged, had experienced ongoing harassment by residents and family members of the park owner. The harassment included references to racial slurs, as well as telling her that because she is Black, she should “go last.” As a result of the harassment, the Maybush family was forced to move out of the park and place K.M. in counseling for panic attacks. The suit alleged that the landlord park owner knew about the pervasive harassment, but instead turned a blind eye and retaliated against the Maybush family by filing an eviction case against them.

Brenda Castañeda of HOME stated, “We are pleased that this hard-fought case resolved to benefit K.M., and that HOME and our clients have shown that landlords must not tolerate racist slurs, or they will be held accountable.”  Plaintiff Ronald Maybush stated, “I brought the lawsuit because I wanted my granddaughter to know that she can stand up for herself and her rights. I knew that what happened to my granddaughter was wrong, and I talked to everyone I could. HOME was the place that finally listened and helped. Now my granddaughter will know that she does not have to stand for this kind of treatment.”

The settlement, according to HOME,  resolves all claims between the parties, and the settlement funds will be held in an account for the benefit of K.M.’s education. HOME is a statewide fair housing and HUD-approved housing counseling non-profit.