Anoka Agrees to Pay $175,000 to Settle DOJ Complaint
The city of Anoka, Minnesota, has reached an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to settle a complaint alleging discrimination against residents with mental health disabilities. The agreement stems from the city’s enforcement of a “crime-free” housing ordinance.
DOJ Accuses Anoka of Violating Fair Housing Laws
The DOJ’s investigation, launched in November 2023, found that Anoka’s enforcement of its anti-crime housing ordinance violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The complaint alleges the city pressured landlords to evict tenants with mental health issues based on multiple police or emergency calls to their residences.
The DOJ cited the city’s practice of issuing weekly reports to landlords detailing residents’ mental health crises, including suicide attempts, as evidence of discrimination. This practice, according to the DOJ, discouraged residents from seeking emergency help for fear of eviction.
Landmark Finding: First-of-its-Kind for Anti-Crime Ordinances
DOJ officials stated the Anoka case marks the first time a federal investigation has found discrimination against people with mental disabilities linked to enforcement of a “crime-free” housing ordinance. These ordinances, enacted by many cities since the 1990s, have faced criticism for disproportionately impacting low-income communities and people of color.
Settlement Includes Reforms and Compensation
Under the agreement, Anoka will pay $175,000 to compensate individuals identified by the DOJ as harmed by the city’s enforcement practices. Additionally, the city has 30 days to revise its anti-crime housing ordinance.
Key reforms outlined in the agreement include ban on classifying mental health-related calls as “nuisance calls” under the ordinance, requirement to notify both renters and landlords when a non-mental health related call is deemed a nuisance, along with information on the appeal process, and revision of the definition of “nuisance call” to exclude ambiguous terms like “unfounded calls” and “physically offensive condition.”
