Long Island Housing Services has settled a lawsuit with Southwood Company LLC, a subsidiary of Heatherwood Communities, over alleged disability discrimination. As part of the settlement, Southwood has agreed to pay $86,500 in damages and implement non-discriminatory fair housing, parking, and emotional support/service animal policies. Long Island Housing Services initiated the investigation in 2016, alleging that Southwood Luxury Apartments in North Amityville discriminated against individuals with disabilities. The complaint included instances where a tester with a disability was allegedly denied an assigned handicapped parking spot, and a former employee suggested that having a service animal would restrict the tester from living on the second floor. The improvements in policies resulting from the settlement are seen as a positive step by the Long Island Housing Services.
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