To end a lawsuit brought by the Department of Justice, Hesperia agreed to end a program that gave contact with police as a valid ground for eviction. The Justice Department claimed the city’s “crime free” housing program intentionally discriminated against minority groups.
The city decided to end the lawsuit based only on a sound financial decision for Hesperian residents, and did not admit liability, wrote Hesperia’s counsel, J. Pat Ferraris of Homan Stone & Rossi.
Hesperia continues to deny the allegations brought by the Department of Justice, Ferraris wrote.
The “Crime Free Rental Housing” ordinance required rental property owners to evict