The Justice Department has initiated legal proceedings against the owners and managers of Suburban Heights Apartments in Kinloch, Missouri, alleging discriminatory practices against Black tenants. The lawsuit claims that Suburban Heights LLC, Crestline Property LLC, Triline Properties LLC, and Jingle Properties LLC violated the Fair Housing Act by enforcing a ban on tenants with felony convictions and certain other criminal histories.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division stated, “Rental property owners and managers that ban tenants with a criminal history risk running afoul of the Fair Housing Act.” She emphasized that such policies could have severe impacts on communities of color. Clarke added, “This lawsuit should send a clear message to housing providers that certain criminal history bans on people seeking to put a roof over their heads are not just unfair but unlawful.”

Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, the complaint alleges that from November 2015 to January 2024, defendants enforced a policy excluding prospective tenants based on past criminal records. The department's Fair Housing Testing Program gathered evidence indicating these policies disproportionately affected Black applicants.

The lawsuit aims to secure monetary damages for those harmed by this policy, along with civil penalties and an injunction to prevent future discrimination. Underlining the importance of this case, it seeks to reinforce protections provided by the Fair Housing Act against race- or color-based housing discrimination.

Individuals who believe they were discriminated against at Suburban Heights Apartments or have pertinent information are encouraged to contact the Civil Rights Division’s Housing Discrimination Hotline at 1-833-591-0291 or via email at talk.suburbanheights@usdoj.gov.