Fair Housing Advocates Reach Agreement to Expand Accessible Housing Opportunities for Residents with Disabilities to Over 5,300 Apartments in the South
March 6, 2025
The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) and the Tennessee Fair Housing Council (TFHC) announced an agreement with Gross Residential Properties that will expand accessible rental housing opportunities in Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The agreement covers 13 properties containing over 5,300 apartments throughout these states. Under the settlement, Gross Residential has committed to making changes at 13 apartment complexes to ensure they are accessible to people with disabilities.
The agreement comes on the heels of a joint investigation by NFHA and TFHC that resulted in a housing discrimination complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in March 2024. Through HUD’s complaint conciliation process, the parties were able to quickly and efficiently reach an agreement that will notably increase accessible housing for persons with disabilities. The Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful for a housing provider to refuse to make reasonable accommodations when they are necessary to provide persons with disabilities an equal opportunity to use and fully enjoy their homes.
“People with disabilities in Middle Tennessee will have more housing options as a result of this agreement,” said Martie Lafferty, TFHC’s Executive Director. “Searching for a new place to live is stressful for everyone. Imagine finding an apartment you like and realizing you can’t use the kitchen because there’s not enough turning space for your wheelchair. We appreciate Gross Residential’s willingness to work with TFHC and NFHA to identify solutions that ensure people with disabilities can use and enjoy their apartment and the common areas of their housing community.
Full text of press release and agreement follows below.