United States v Joseph E Johnson (E.D. Ky.)

On December 3, 2024, the Division filed a Fair Housing Act complaint in United States v. Johnson (E.D. Ky.). The Complaint alleges that Joseph ("Joe") Johnson, a landlord in Lexington, Kentucky, has engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination and denied rights to a group of persons on the basis of sex. According to the Complaint, since at least the early 1980s, Johnson has sexually harassed female tenants by, among other things, offering housing-related benefits in exchange for sexual contact, making unwelcome sexual comments and advances to female tenants, subjecting female tenants to unwelcome touching and groping, taking adverse housing-related actions against female tenants who refused his sexual advances, and failing to act when made aware of similar harassing behaviors by one or more of his employees.

Press Release (12/3/2024)