A Florida woman, who filed a federal complaint after her homeowners
association barred her from continuing to host a Bible study in the social
room of her own condominium complex, has reached a settlement allowing her
to carry on with the religious activity, a legal group that represented the
Christian woman said.
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A sign that states that Christian music is banned sits on top of an organ located in a common room at the Cambridge House Condominiums in Port Charlotte, Florida. |
However, the Cambridge House board of directors then
passed a resolution stating, “Prayers and other religious services,
observations, or meetings of any nature shall not occur ... in or upon any
of the common elements.”
Dunbar was sent a letter explaining that the new resolution “prohibits Bible
Study meetings in the Social Room.” Dunbar’s complaint alleged that a sign
was even placed on top of the organ in the community room, saying, “ANY
AND ALL CHRISTIAN MUSIC IS BANNED!”
But now, “Donna will be able to freely live out her faith and use the social
room just like all the other residents,” the group said.
The Fair Housing Act protects people from discrimination on the basis of
race, color, national origin, religion, sex and disability when they are
renting, buying or securing finances for a home.
In January, a Virginia couple, Kenneth and Liv Hauge, who were threatened
with eviction from their retirement home if they continued to hold Bible
study meetings, also won the right to hold classes again.
The couple were represented by First Liberty and reached a settlement with
the Evergreens at Smith Run in Fredericksburg, allowing them to continue
holding Bible classes and screen films at the community room.
In July 2018, the Community Realty Company, the parent company for
Evergreens, sent a notice to the Hauges saying they must stop holding their
Bible study at the senior living center’s community room or face eviction.
The weekly Bible study “caused, and continues to cause, serious and
substantial disturbances with other residents in the community,” the notice
claimed.
The Hauges’ lawsuit argued that the management had discriminated against
them and others on the basis of religion. The suit also alleged that the
Evergreens was prohibiting prayer before meals and refusing to allow them to
call it a “Bible study,” but rather a “book review.”