The Justice Department (DOJ) recently announced an agreement with Hendricks County, Ind., to settle allegations the county violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) by twice unlawfully denying zoning approval to Al Hussnain Inc., an Islamic educational organization seeking to develop a religious seminary, school and residential housing in Hendricks County, according to a release from the DOJ’s Office of Public Affairs.
“Animus directed towards the Muslim community masked under the guise of an ordinary zoning restrictions violates the law and runs contrary to the principles of fairness and tolerance that are core in our democracy,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division said in the release. “Federal law prohibits local governments from making zoning decisions about housing or religious land use on the basis of the religion of the developer or those whom they perceive might live at or worship at the development. The Justice Department will use its authority to stop discriminatory anti-Islamic conduct and hold local governments accountable.”
The proposed consent decree, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana and must still be approved by the court, resolved a lawsuit, which was also filed. The complaint alleged the county, facing significant community animus and opposition, denied Al Hussnain’s rezoning applications to develop a mixed-use community containing a residential neighborhood, community center, K-12 religious school, Islamic seminary and dormitories for seminary students at two different locations in the county, citing concerns that lacked a legitimate basis.
“Discrimination on the basis of religion has no place in the Crossroads of America,” U.S. Attorney Zachary Myers for the Southern District of Indiana said. “This office will steadfastly defend the right of all persons to enjoy housing free from discrimination. This complaint and consent decree demonstrates the Justice Department’s commitment to ensuring that people of all faiths are not discriminated against by unlawful local government actions.”
The complaint further alleged Hendricks County repeatedly departed from its own zoning ordinances as well as the county’s processes and procedures for reviewing zoning applications and treated Al Hussnain’s application worse than similar applications brought by non-Muslim developers. The complaint alleged the county engaged in a pattern or practice of unlawful discrimination and denied rights to a group of persons because of religion in violation of the FHA and imposed a substantial burden on the Islamic organization’s religious exercise, treated the organization on less than equal terms with nonreligious assemblies or institutions and discriminated against the organization on the basis of religion in violation of RLUIPA.
The consent decree requires Hendricks County to pay monetary damages of $295,000 to Al Hussnain, Inc., a civil penalty of $5,000 to the United States, adopt Fair Housing and Religious Land Use policies, train its officials and employees on the requirements of RLUIPA and the FHA, and establish a procedure for receiving and resolving RLUIPA and FHA complaints.