INDIANAPOLIS – Detroit, Mi. based Quicken Loans was charged today with violating the Fair Housing Act after they required a Shelbyville, Ind. woman, a disabled veteran, to provide documentation verifying the permanency of her social security and VA disability benefits for the next three years. As a result of the request, the charging party did not continue the refinance process with Quicken Loans.
“Through our investigation, we found that the charging party was asked to provide additional documentation that other, similarly-situated, non-disabled individuals were not asked to,” said Jamal L. Smith, Executive Director of the Indiana Civil Rights Commission. “It is important that terms and conditions developed by companies be enforced equally.”
An investigation stemming from a January 14, 2013 Complaint filed with the Commission found that the charging party was required to provide documentation that non-disabled consumers were not in order to obtain a refinance loan. Requiring this documentation from the charging party, without evidence of requiring the same from non-disabled customers, is a violation of the Indiana Fair Housing Act.
In order to prevail, the charging party must prove that: (1) she falls within a class of person protected by law; (2) she applied for a loan secured by residential real estate; (3) she was qualified to obtain a loan consistent with Quicken Loans’ terms and conditions; (4) Quicken Loans proposed terms and conditions to the charging party that she was required to accept before the completion of the loan process and loan transaction; and (5) Quicken Loans did not subject similarly-situated non-disabled persons to the same requirements.
Based upon the findings of the investigation, probable cause exists that an unlawful discriminatory practice may have occurred. A public hearing is necessary to determine whether a violation of the Indiana Fair Housing Act occurred.
A finding of probable cause does not resolve a civil rights Complaint. Rather, it means the State has concluded its preliminary investigation and determined there is sufficient evidence to support reasonable suspicion that the Indiana Fair Housing Act has been violated.
The Indiana Civil Rights Commission enforces the Indiana civil rights laws and provides education and services to the public in an effort to ensure equal opportunity for all Hoosiers and visitors to the State of Indiana. For more information, contact Brad Meadows, ICRC Communications Manager, at (317) 232-2651.
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