A major property owner in the District of Columbia has agreed to pay $100,000 and overhaul its rental practices after the Office of the Attorney General found it was illegally denying housing to anyone under 24 years old and to all applicants with felony convictions.
Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb announced that Apartment Income REIT LLC (AIR), along with its affiliated management entities, violated District laws by enforcing blanket bans at three apartment complexes — Latrobe Apartment Homes in Ward 2 and Upton Place and Vaughan Place Apartments in Ward 3.
The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) launched its investigation after receiving a tip from a member of the public. The Upton Place website stated that “at least one leaseholder must be 24 years of age or older at the time of move-in and reside full-time in the apartment” and that the property did not rent to applicants with felony convictions. The investigation revealed these policies were also in place at the other AIR-managed properties in the District.
The OAG determined that the policies violated the DC Human Rights Act (DCHRA), which bars housing discrimination based on age and other protected traits, and the Fair Criminal Records Screening for Housing Act (FCRSHA), which prohibits landlords from categorically rejecting applicants with criminal records without individualized consideration.
AIR cooperated with the investigation and ended the unlawful policies before the inquiry concluded. Under the terms of the settlement, the company must train all District staff annually on anti-discrimination and tenant screening laws, retain rental application records for two years, report all complaints to OAG, and submit to compliance monitoring for the next two years.
According to court documents, the $100,000 civil penalty must be paid within 30 days of the agreement’s effective date.
“Landlords have a right and responsibility to provide their tenants with safe, healthy living spaces — but D.C. law explicitly prohibits discrimination based on age and certain types of criminal history,” Schwalb said. “This settlement is the direct result of a tip from a member of the public to our office — and we strongly encourage D.C. residents to contact us if they have experienced or witnessed illegal housing discrimination.”
