Amtrak Fund Compensates People with Disabilities Facing Barriers at Stations

People with mobility disabilities who encountered inaccessible Amtrak stations can begin submitting claims for monetary compensation. Amtrak created the compensation fund as part of a settlement with the Department of Justice (DOJ) which found the railroad had engaged in disability discrimination violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Amtrak was given twenty years after the ADA was passed in 1990 to make stations accessible, but by 2010 had failed to make progress. An investigation in 2013 by the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) found numerous barriers at stations all over the country. NDRN then submitted a complaint to the DOJ which spurred their investigation and eventual settlement with Amtrak.

Read more here and find out if you qualify for compensation. Claims must be submitted by May 29, 2021.

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Source: National Disability Rights Network, February 11, 2021.

Three Baltimore Insurance Brokers file Complaint Accusing Erie Insurance of Discriminating Against Black Customers

Three Baltimore-area insurance brokers have filed complaints with the Maryland Insurance Administration accusing Erie Insurance of racially discriminating by engaging in insurance redlining of predominantly Black neighborhoods in the city.

Two of the three brokerage firms are Black-owned small businesses. They filed separate complaints this week with the Maryland Insurance Administration, the state regulator. The companies included Baltimore Insurance Network LLC of Bowie, Ross Insurance Agency of Windsor Mill, and Welsch Insurance Group of Baltimore, which all contract or had contracted with Erie as agents to sell policies.

The brokers accuse Erie, which underwrites policies sold by the firms, of redlining - the practice of denying services to residents of certain neighborhoods based on race or ethnicity. The complaints say Erie refused to underwrite policies based on a potential client’s race, ethnic origin, neighborhood, and/or socioeconomic status.

“Erie Insurance brokerages that serve Baltimore, and in particular that serve the poor areas of Baltimore which are predominately African American, are being told that even when customers meet their underwriting standards and when they would otherwise qualify, Erie is not interested in certain customers,” said Cary J. Hansel, an attorney for Baltimore Insurance.

Both Baltimore Insurance and Welsch said in their complaints that Erie urged them to not sell policies to people in Baltimore with “city sounding names.” Baltimore Insurance Network said it was told by an Erie branch manager to “place those people elsewhere, I don’t care where, just not with Erie. They don’t fit Erie’s appetite. Find better people.”

A spokesperson for Erie said Wednesday that the company has not yet been formally notified of the filings but will address any complaints with the Insurance Administration. The company said it does not comment publicly on specific customers, agents, claims, or regulatory filings.

Previously, Erie has been sued for redlining in New York State as well as found to have higher auto insurance premiums not associated with risk for Illinois minority zip codes in a 2017 study by Pro Publica. 

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Source: Baltimore Sun, January 13, 2021.

COVID Relief Loans Loans Flowed Mostly To Businesses In Wealthy White Communities

Businesses in upper-income mostly White neighborhoods dominated the government’s Payment Protection Program (PPP), according to the analysis of government data by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC). The findings confirms evidence that business owners of color and businesses in lower-income communities faced many obstacles that cut them off from the government’s COVID relief program for small businesses.

The NCRC analysis was based on records of 5 million PPP loans released by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The data was only made available after a federal judge ordered the data released after several news organizations sued the agency under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

After adjusting for total businesses in each neighborhood, NCRC found that, on average, neighborhoods in low-income areas received less than a quarter as many PPP loans (.387 loans per census tract in low-income tracts, compared to 1.787 loans per census tract in upper-income census tracts), and only about one-third of the PPP loan amount ($36,481 per business in low- and $100,539 in upper-income census tracts). Also, the analysis evidenced that neighborhoods with higher percentages of people of color got significantly fewer loans and lower amounts.

The NCRC study is more evidence that Fair Lending laws must be better enforced.

Read the December 11, 2020 NCRC release.

To read more on NCRC’s preliminary analysis, visit: NCRC Paycheck Protection Plan Preliminary Analysis.

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Source: NCRC, December 11, 2020.

Nationstar Mortgage Order to Pay Fine for Flawed Mortgage Loan Reporting, Including Victimizing Over 1,000 Maryland Borrowers

Nationstar Mortgage, which recently rebranded as “Mr. Cooper,” agreed to a $91 million fine by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) for allegedly violating consumer protection laws after the Great Recession. The case could serve as a warning to companies that prey on borrowers during the pandemic.

“More than 1,000 borrowers in Maryland were harmed by Nationstar’s misconduct,” Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh (D) said in a statement. “The settlement requires Nationstar to change its practices and to pay millions of dollars to those it hurt.”

The federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) worked with attorneys general from all states and mortgage regulators in 53 jurisdictions in the case against Nationstar, which is the largest non-bank home loan servicer in the nation.

This settlement regards allegations that Nationstar violated consumer protection laws during its servicing of mortgage loans between 2012 and the end of 2015. The proposed CFPB agreement, if approved by the court, will bring $85 million in payments to consumers and over $6 million in fees and penalties.

Nationstar also entered into a separate settlement agreement with the US Department of Justice to address past mortgage servicing issues affecting homeowners under bankruptcy protection. Under that settlement, the Justice Department said U.S. Bank, PNC, and Nationstar will pay over $74 million in redress payments to homeowners. “Most of the remediation and corrective actions have already been taken by the servicers,” the Justice Department commented.

The CFPB complaint said Nationstar failed to identify requests for loan modifications, which are supposed to help borrowers with their payments. The company foreclosed while some homeowners were waiting for their loan modification applications to be processed - even though Nationstar had promised it would not do so.

Allegations against Nationstar included improperly increasing borrowers’ payments and misrepresenting when homeowners would be eligible to have their private mortgage insurance premiums canceled. The claim alleged that Nationstar also failed to forward real estate tax payments from escrow accounts in a timely manner.

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Read the December 8, 2020 Washington Post article.

 

ACTION ALERT CALL or EMAIL  Mayor Young TODAY!  The Baltimore City bill (CB 20-0592) creating a Local Voucher Program Awaits Mayor Young's Signature -- TODAY is the last day for Mayor Young  to sign the bill or it will fail! Call/Email Mayor Young and ask him to help Baltimore end homelessness by signing CB 20-0592! Mayor Young contact information: 410-396-4900, mayor@baltimorecity.gov The bill is a major step forward in the City's efforts to end homelessness. The bill creates a new Office to End Homelessness and a locally funded housing voucher program   for formerly homeless households with incomes at or below 30% area median income. Read about the bill in this WYPR piece  For more information about CB 20-0592 contact  Carolyn Johnson at cjohnson@hprplaw.org ***** Homeless Persons Representation Project, November 7, 2020

 

LANDLORD FOUND IN CONTEMPT FOR VIOLATING CIRCUIT COURT ORDER AND DECISION OF THE MARYLAND COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS’ APPEAL BOARD

MCCR Continues Pursuit of Justice for Victim of Unlawful Sexual Harassment in Housing

HAGERSTOWN, Md. - On November 23, 2020, the Circuit Court for Washington County found landlord Henry T. Piper in contempt of court for refusing to provide documentation to the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights (MCCR), for failing to pay ordered penalties and relief, and for failing to attend fair housing sensitivity training.

The Appeal Board of the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights originally ordered Mr. Piper to pay $5,400 in monetary relief to his former tenant, as well as a $10,000 civil penalty to the State of Maryland on February 2, 2018, after it was found that he violated Maryland’s fair housing law by sexually harassing his former tenant. Previously, the Maryland Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) had issued a similar order for relief and $5,000 in a civil penalty to the State of Maryland.

The Commission continued to pursue court action against Mr. Piper over the last two years in the name of justice for both the complainant – who has yet to receive awarded relief for her pain and suffering as a victim of unlawful sexual harassment – as well as the people of the State of Maryland. He refused to comply with orders from OAH, the MCCR Appeal Board, and the Circuit Court of Washington County. The landlord’s willful disregard of the court’s order resulted in his incarceration for ten days, including over the Thanksgiving weekend.

Assistant General Counsel Terrence J. Artis, who litigated this case on behalf of the Commission, affirms, “Should any person or entity be found to have violated the civil rights of any Marylander protected under the Commission’s statute, the Commission will exhaust all enforcement tools available under the law in the pursuit of justice for the complainant and people of the State of Maryland.”

MCCR represents the interest of the state to ensure equal opportunity for all through enforcement of Title 20 of the State Government Article and Title 19 of the State Finance & Procurement Article, Annotated Code of Maryland. MCCR investigates complaints of discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations and state contracts filed by members of protected classes under federal and state law. For additional information, please contact Spencer Dove at 410-767-8576 or by email at spencer.dove@maryland.gov.

Victim of Discrimination?

Training & Partnerships

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Source: Maryland Commission on Civil Rights, December 7, 2020.

We Join in Mourning 

Fr. Richard (Dick) Lawrence's passing on November 26, 2020

It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Fr. Richard (Dick) Lawrence's passing on November 26, 2020. As an advocate for Social Justice Initiatives that lead to lasting change, Fr. Lawrence was one of the founders of Beyond the Boundaries, (along with Monsignor William F. Burke of St. Francis of Assisi and retired Monsignor Richard H. Tillman). So aptly stated by Monsignor Bozzelli in the November 28th Catholic Review article, “The model for Beyond the Boundaries was working together, as a region...It was responsible for the first affordable housing bill in the city. Dick (Father Lawrence) had great vision, and was very creative. He told us, ‘Politicians are never going to initiate this. We have to create the parade, so that we can invite them to stand at the head of it.’ That was a typical Dick move.”  You may also recall seeing the pivotal video for Beyond the Boundaries, featuring Fr. Lawrence, where he simply and clearly makes the strong and convincing case for our program...a video which is still viewed today to help many understand the intersection between systemic racism and housing in our region.  In his statement, Archbishop William E. Lori said, “Throughout the Archdiocese and the City of Baltimore there are so many who mourn the passing of Fr. Dick Lawrence. From our neighbors who are homeless to those who enjoy positions of the highest prominence, he was known for his fierce commitment to living out the Gospel call to love the least among us. May his legacy long be a reminder of the priorities we must keep before us as we strive to bring peace and healing to our City.” While in person participation in funeral services is no longer open, please consider joining one of the virtual services being offered. VISIT HERE for the schedule of services as well as links for online viewing opportunities.  We hold all those close Fr. Lawrence in prayer during the days and weeks ahead, and pray that Beyond the Boundaries can continue to live out his legacy of service to the most poor and vulnerable among us.

Copyright © 2020 Beyond the Boundariesbtb.org, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: Beyond the Boundaries   btb.org 3615 Harford Rd Baltimore, MD 21218-3150 Add us to your address book ***** Source: Beyond the Boundaries, email, December 4, 2020.