MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Department of Justice is suing a Morgantown landlord, his wife’s estate and a number of properties for alleged violation of the Fair Housing Act.
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion,
national origin, sex, disability and familial status.
Gary Walden is accused of sexually harassing a number of female tenants.
His wife, Tina Walden, mentioned in the suit, is accused of dismissing victims’ complaints.
Among the claims against Walden:
– engaging in unwanted and unwelcome sex acts with female tenants;
-engaging in unwanted sexual touching and groping;
-making unwelcome sexual comments and verbal advances;
-conditioning or offering tangible housing benefits to female tenants in exchange for performance of sex acts on him or his maintenance workers; entering the apartments of female
tenants without permission or notice to harass them sexually;
-taking adverse actions against female tenants when they refused or objected to his sexual advances or objected to continuing to grant sexual favors.
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages to compensate the victims, civil penalties and a court order barring future discrimination.