Judge OKs housing discrimination claim covering 4 states

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) -- A federal judge in Alabama has approved a $350,000 settlement involving housing discrimination claims in four Southern states.
 
The agreement announced Tuesday by the Justice Department involves owners and developers of 71 housing complexes in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee.
 
Alabama-based developers Allan Rappuhn, Gateway Construction Corp., Gateway Development Corp. and others agreed to retrofit apartment complexes to make them more accessible to people with disabilities. That includes things like installing sloped curbs an updating bathrooms to accommodate people in wheelchairs.
 
The companies will pay $300,000 to create a fund for people with disabilities who suffered disability. They also will pay a fine of $50,000.
 
The government says all but two of the 71 complexes were constructed with assistance from tax credits for low-income housing or other programs.

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