DOVER, Del. (AP) - Sussex County officials have settled a federal lawsuit over alleged discriminatory practices in the denial of an affordable housing project.
The lawsuit alleged that county officials denied approval of a 50-lot subdivision based partly on the assumption that residents would be Latino and black, and on stereotypes based on race, color and national origin.
The lawsuit stemmed from a complaint made to the Department of Housing and Urban Development and referred to the Department of Justice.
Under the settlement, which is subject to court approval, the county admits no wrongdoing but has agreed to reconsider the project using nondiscriminatory criteria, and to take no actions to obstruct or delay the development of the subdivision. The county also will pay $750,000 in damages to the developer, Diamond State Community Land Trust.
