The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin has reached a settlement in a housing discrimination case involving a rental property in Appleton, Wisconsin. The complaint, filed on November 19, 2024, alleged that Tammy Estrada and Ramiro Estrada, who own and manage the property, violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA) by discriminating against tenants with disabilities.
According to the complaint, the Estradas denied reasonable accommodation requests related to emotional support animals and retaliated against tenants for attempting to exercise their rights under the FHA. The case was referred to the Department of Justice after an investigation by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which resulted in a charge of discrimination.
As part of the settlement agreement entered on August 22, 2025, the tenants will receive $20,000. The defendants are also required to implement a reasonable accommodation policy and attend fair housing training.
“The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nia Schmaltz represented the Eastern District of Wisconsin in this matter.
The announcement clarified that “the claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.”
