The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire in May 2025, alleges the Montanuses violated 34 U.S.C. § 12495 by penalizing the complainant after she sought police assistance for domestic violence, the department said.
Under the settlement, the defendants must comply with VAWA, refrain from making adverse credit reports about the complainant's tenancy, and pay $25,000 to compensate her and her minor children. If the defendants acquire rental properties during the settlement's three-year term, they must report the acquisitions to the United States and undergo VAWA training.
"Tenants have a right to request law enforcement and emergency services when they need assistance," said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division. "No one should be faced with the choice of calling for help or losing her housing."
U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan for the District of New Hampshire said "violence against women will never be tolerated in New Hampshire." She said "penalizing survivors of violence with eviction for seeking help revictimizes them," adding, "we will use all available legal tools to protect the civil rights of victims."
Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Craig Trainor said he "will not allow women seeking police intervention in a domestic violence situation to later be victimized with an eviction because they sought the assistance of our brave police." He said "Secretary Turner's HUD is dedicated to protecting women from violence and ensuring that the fair housing rights of all Americans are protected."
Congress added the housing provisions in the 2022 VAWA reauthorization. The statute prohibits housing providers from taking adverse actions, including eviction or threat of eviction, when a tenant, resident, occupant, or guest seeks emergency assistance, according to the release.
The Civil Rights Division took the case after HUD received a complaint, investigated, and issued a charge of discrimination.