Justice Department Secures $510,000 Settlement in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Kentucky Landlord

The Justice Department announced today that Joseph E. Johnson, the owner and manager of residential rental properties in Lexington, Kentucky, agreed to pay $510,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that he sexually harassed female tenants in violation of the Fair Housing Act.

"The Justice Department will not tolerate violations of our federal fair housing laws, including landlords' unwelcome sexual advances and requests for sexual favors," said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. "This settlement demonstrates our commitment to continuing to enforce these laws so tenants remain safe and secure in their homes."

"No one should have to choose between homelessness and sexual harassment in the place where they should feel safest," said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Parman for the Eastern District of Kentucky. "Our office is committed to holding accountable anyone who preys on and harasses vulnerable tenants in Eastern Kentucky, and this settlement sends a clear message that sex discrimination in housing will not be tolerated."

The Justice Department's lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky in December 2024, alleges that Johnson sexually harassed female tenants for decades, including in their homes and at the rental office. The suit alleges that Johnson offered to forgive rent in exchange for sexual contact, demanded sexual contact from his tenants, subjected tenants to unwelcome sexual touching, made unwelcome sexual comments and sexual advances, let himself into female tenants' homes without notice or permission, and threatened to evict tenants who refused his demands. The complaint also alleges Johnson failed to stop his employees when they engaged in similar conduct.

Pursuant to the consent order, which was approved today by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, the defendant must pay $500,000 to tenants who were harmed by his harassment and a $10,000 civil penalty to the United States. The consent order permanently bars Johnson from managing residential rental properties and from contacting tenants harmed by his harassment. It also mandates training and the adoption of policies and procedures to prevent future discrimination in his rental properties.

If you are a victim of sexual harassment by another landlord or property manager or have suffered other forms of housing discrimination, call the Justice Department's Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743 or submit a report online. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. This settlement is part of the Justice Department's Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative. The initiative, which the Department launched in October 2017, seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative, the department has filed 52 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered over $19 million for victims of such harassment.