The Salvation Army has agreed to pay $12,000 to each of four homeless women and change its transitional-housing program policy under a pregnancy nondiscrimination settlement with a federal housing agency.
The giant charity agreed to pay $48,000 to the women because it evicted them from its two-year Turning Point transitional-housing program for becoming pregnant during the program.
Such a policy is “unlawful,” the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) said Wednesday.
Previously, the Salvation Army’s policy clearly stated that “there are to be no additions to a resident’s family while she is enrolled in the Turning Point Program” and that pregnancy, regardless of outcome, is grounds for dismissal.
Program participants signed a paper indicating they heard and agreed to the program rules.
Since 2008, four women were dismissed from the program, HUD said.
In its conciliation agreement with HUD, the Salvation Army said it would make payouts to the four women, set aside $24,000 for a housing case manager, and change its policy to permit women to complete the transitional housing program even if they become pregnant.
Turning Point Center, located in Northwest Washington, already accepts pregnant women and women with children.
HUD said the Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful to discriminate in housing based on a person’s race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, and familial status. This includes discriminating against families with children under 18 years old, women who are pregnant, and persons who are attempting to secure legal custody of a child under 18, it said.
“Transitional housing centers are essential to helping individuals move from homelessness into stable housing situations,” said Gustavo Velasquez, HUD assistant secretary for fair housing and equal opportunity. “It is both wrong and illegal to evict women because they become pregnant.”
• Cheryl Wetzstein can be reached at cwetzstein@washingtontimes.com.
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