KENNETH A. MARRA, District Judge.
This cause is before the Court upon Defendants' Motion to Dismiss Complaint with Prejudice (DE 18). The motion is fully briefed and ripe for review. The Court has carefully considered the motion and is otherwise fully advised in the premises.
Plaintiffs Donald Solodar and Carolle Solodar ("Plaintiffs") bring this three-count Complaint against Defendants Old Port Cove Lake Point Tower Condominium Association, Inc., Jan Muelder, Robert Marschall, Kenneth Weiss, Robert Quig, Donald Hackl, John Manning, David Gregg, M.M.I of the Palm Beach, Inc., Cathie Carr and Andy Romero (collectively, "Defendants") for violations of 42 U.S.C. § 3604(f)(3), Florida Statute § 760.23(8), Palm Beach County Code of Ordinances § 15-58(12) ("failure to make reasonable accommodations with a disability") (count one); 42 U.S.C. § 3604(f)(2), Florida Statute § 760.23(8), Palm Beach County Code of Ordinances § 15-58(2) ("discrimination in the terms, conditions, or privileges of the provision of services or facilities in connection with a dwelling") (count two) and 42 U.S.C. § 3617, Florida Statute § 760.37, Palm Beach County Code of Ordinances § 15-58(14), (18) ("retaliation in violation of the Fair Housing Act") (count three).
The Complaint makes the following allegations: Plaintiffs Donald and Carolle Solodar currently own and reside at 100 Lakeshore Drive, Unit # L-10, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida 33408. (Compl. ¶ 3.) Ms. Solodar is a person with disability as she suffers from cardiovascular disease and experienced a heart attack in May of 2009. She has substantial limitation in her mobility, including her ability to navigate steps and walk long distances in other than a climate-controlled environment. She also tires easily and suffers from shortness of breath. (Compl. ¶ 4.) Ms. Solodar is substantially limited in a major life activity by virtue of the impairment of her circulatory system. (Compl. ¶ 5.)
Defendant Old Port Cove Lake Point Tower Condominium Association, Inc. ("Lake Point Tower") is a Florida non-profit corporation. (Compl. ¶ 8.) Defendant M.M.I of the Palm Beaches, Inc. ("MMI") operates and manages the condominium Lake Point Tower. (Compl. ¶ 16.) The individually named Defendants are either members of the Board of Governors of Lake Power Tower or employees of the condominium's management company. (Compl. ¶ ¶ 9-15, 17-18.) Lake Point Tower and MMI manage and operate a condominium of 181 units, 169 of which are in a 22-story tower, and 12 units are in separate two-story "lanai" structures surrounding the tower. Residents are assigned parking in a garage under the tower and the lanais. Guests, owners and vendors were previously permitted to park on the upper deck of the garage. (Compl. ¶ 24.)
In 2008, Plaintiffs purchased and moved into unit L-10 and had two parking spaces assigned to them located in the garage. The closest way to get to these spaces was down 17 steps, exposed to the elements, through the garage door and then approximately 20 feet to Plaintiffs' cars. (Compl. ¶ 25.) Immediately adjoining the front walk of Plaintiffs' unit is the south part of the upper deck of owner, visitor and vendor parking, consisting of ten parking spaces (hereinafter, "South Parking Deck"). (Compl. ¶ 26.)
During Ms. Solodar's initial recovery period from a 2009 heart attack, her doctor prescribed her a handicapped placard to allow her to take advantage of closer parking spaces. (Compl. ¶ 27.) Until November of 2010, Ms. Solodar parked in the South Parking Deck, immediately next to the entrance to her home. (Compl. ¶ 28.) In that parking deck, there were two signs posted, one sign stated "NO PARKING — OWNERS AND GUESTS ONLY" and the other sign stated "NO VENDORS — OWNER LOADING ZONE 30 MINUTES ONLY." (Compl. ¶ 29.) On or about November of 2010, Mr. Solodar complained to various Defendants that vendors were improperly parked in the South Parking Deck, making it impossible for him to exit the deck on one occasion. (Compl. ¶ 30.)
Starting on November 16, 2010, Plaintiffs were advised that the Board of Governors was planning on converting the South Parking Deck to a vendor's only parking area. (Compl. ¶ 30.) Plaintiffs then requested a designated handicapped parking spot from MMI and Lake Point Tower. (Compl. ¶ 31.) MMI and Lake Point Tower denied their request, claiming that there was no obligation to have a designated parking space on the South Parking Deck. The Board of Governors unanimously rejected the request for accommodation. (Compl. ¶ 32.) Soon thereafter, Lake Point Tower sent Ms. Solodar a flyer with directions on what to do in the event someone you are with has a heart attack. The flyer did not contain any indication of its purpose. (Compl. ¶ 33.)
On or about November 26, 2010, the individual Defendants denied Plaintiffs' request for an accommodation stating, "No single Lanai or other unit owner should have priority over the service needs of other owners." (Compl. ¶ 34.) Previously, on November 7, 2010, Defendant Andy Romaro ("Romaro"), a licensed community association manager, sent the Lanai owners a letter regarding the North Parking Deck, stating:
(Compl. ¶ ¶ 18, 35.)
On February 21, 2011, the issue of parking was discussed before the association at Lake Point Tower. The minutes stated as follows:
(Compl. ¶ 36.)
On March 4, 2011, Mr. Muelder on behalf of Lake Point Tower sent a notice to all residents of the condominium association that (1) unit owners are not permitted to park in the South Parking Deck from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; (2) only loading and unloading by unit owners is permitted in a designated space; (3) parking outside business hours is on a first come, first served basis; (4) no space is assigned to, or reserved for any unit owner at any time and (5) failure to comply is subject to measures by the Board to ensure compliance and enforcement. (Compl. ¶ 37.) These rules would not be enforced from December 20th to the last day of February, a moratorium period for vendors when the building is mostly occupied with its residents. (Compl. ¶ 38.)
On or about March 7, 2011, Plaintiffs retained counsel who "formally requested" a designated accessible parking space in the South Parking Deck. (Compl. ¶ 40.) In response, Lake Point Tower and MMI requested additional documentation to determine if the accommodation was necessary, including information on the nature of the disability, medical evidence, the credentials of Ms. Solodar's health care provider and additional information regarding the handicapped decal. (Compl. ¶ 41(a)-(f).) For all other residents who lived in the tower who required a closer parking space, such request was accommodated upon displaying the handicapped placard. (Compl. ¶ 42.) Nonetheless, on or about March 21 and 24, 2011,
From March 24, 2011, Mr. Romero, on behalf of Lake Point Tower and MMI, sent a letter to all unit owners as follows:
(Compl. ¶ 46.)
On April 4, 2011, Lake Point Tower and MMI's counsel claimed Ms. Solodar did not have a disability because she was able to exercise. As an alternative accommodation, they would permit Plaintiffs to install, at Plaintiffs' expense, an automatic door in the downstairs garage and non-skid traction steps on the stairs leading down to the garage. (Compl. ¶ 47.) On April 14th and 18th, Mr. Romero posted violations on Plaintiffs' car when it was parked on the South Parking Deck, threatening fines and towing. (Compl. ¶ 49.) Next, on April 26, 2011, Lake Point Tower banned Ms. Solodar from communication with the association unless done in writing or by telephone. If such ban was violated, Ms. Solodar was advised she would liable for the Association's legal fees and costs. Such actions were allegedly taken for a pattern of abusive behavior, but was in retaliation for claims under the Fair Housing Act. (Compl. ¶ 51.) On May 16, 2011, the Board of Governors, MMI, Mr. Romero and Ms. Carr had a meeting wherein they reiterated the denial of Plaintiffs' accommodation and announced that Ms. Solodar was banned from entering the associations' offices without a prior appointment because she was "screaming and ranting insults" at the administrative assistant. (Compl. ¶ 52.) Next, on June 22, 2011, Ms. Solodar's doctor urged the assigning of a parking space for her. (Compl. ¶ 53.) On July 14, 2011, Ms. Solodar was banned from speaking to any employee of Lake Point Tower. (Compl. ¶ 54.)
The Palm Beach Office of Equal Opportunity issued a cause finding that Lake Point Tower discriminated against Ms. Solodar by failing to grant an accommodation. (Compl. ¶ 55.) After that finding, Lake Point Tower offered a previously marked handicapped parking space "hundreds of feet away outside the main entrance to the tower or by the elevators which serve the tower garage." (Compl. ¶ 56.) Ms. Solodar has now restricted her activities and chooses not to leave home when she would have otherwise. (Compl. ¶ 57.)
Defendants move to dismiss all three counts of the Complaint. With respect to count one, Defendants contend that Ms. Solodar is not substantially limited in a major life activity and, regardless, Plaintiffs received their requested accommodation. Next, Defendants argue that count two is redundant of count one. Finally, with respect to count three, Defendants state that engaging in inquiries as to Ms. Solodar's disability is not a basis for retaliation under the law.
Rule 8(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure requires "a short and plain statement of the claims" that "will give the defendant fair notice of what the plaintiff's claim is and the ground upon which it rests." Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a). The Supreme Court has held that "[w]hile a complaint attacked by a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss does not need detailed factual allegations, a plaintiff's obligation to provide the `grounds' of his `entitlement to relief' requires more than labels and conclusions, and a formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action will not do. Factual allegations must be enough to raise a right to relief above the speculative level."
"To survive a motion to dismiss, a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face."
The Fair Housing Act ("FHA") makes it illegal to discriminate "against any person in the terms, conditions, or privileges of sale or rental of a dwelling, or in the provision of services or facilities in connection with such dwelling, because of a handicap . . ." 42 U.S.C. § 3604(f)(2). Handicap discrimination includes "a refusal to make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices or services, when such accommodations may be necessary to afford such person equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling." 42 U.S.C. § 3604(f)(3)(B).
To prevail on a claim brought pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 3604(f)(3)(B), a plaintiff must establish that (1) he is disabled or handicapped within the meaning of the FHA; (2) he requested a reasonable accommodation; (3) such accommodation was necessary to afford him an opportunity to use and enjoy his dwelling and (4) the defendant refused to make the requested accommodation.
Here, the Complaint properly alleges that Ms. Solodar was a person with a disability by virtue of her cardiovascular condition which substantially limits her mobility.
Nonetheless, Defendants contend that the Complaint makes conclusory allegations regarding the existence of Ms. Solodar's disability. Specifically, they claim the Complaint does not make clear that any of Ms. Solodar's major life activities are "substantially limited" or that difficulty in walking or navigating steps constitutes a disability within the meaning of the Act. (Mot. at 6-8.) Significantly, the cases upon which Defendants rely for this argument are in a different procedural posture than the instant case. (Mot. at 6-7.) None of those cases are at the pleading stage, but instead address summary judgment or a motion for judgment as a matter of law after trial.
Next, Defendants complain that Plaintiffs omitted a reference to the entirety of their first request for accommodation "presumably to preclude the [C]ourt from considering their request for an `alternative' accommodation, which was granted by [ ] Defendants." (Mot. at 18.) In support, Defendants have attached a letter from Plaintiffs seeking either a handicapped parking space or "in the alternative, leave the single unit owner loading zone spot as it has long been intended."
As a general rule, the Court must "limit[ ] its consideration to the pleadings and exhibits attached thereto" when deciding a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss.
Even assuming
The Court will now turn to count two of the Complaint, which alleges a violation of 42 U.S.C. § 3604(f)(2) on the basis that (1) the denial of a reasonable accommodation limited Ms. Solodar's use and enjoyment of the premises and (2) Defendants' unlawful inquiries into the nature and severity of Ms. Solodar's disability was beyond which was necessary to afford an accommodation and was intended to delay the efforts to obtain an accommodation. (Compl. ¶ ¶ 68-70.) Defendants move to dismiss this count because it is redundant to count one and does not plead a separate and distinct claim. After careful consideration, the Court agrees with Defendants.
"A plaintiff can establish a violation under the FHA by proving (1) intentional discrimination, (2) discriminatory impact, or (3) a refusal to make a reasonable accommodation."
This conclusion is buttressed by the Joint Statement of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Justice on
Lastly, the Court addresses count three of the Complaint which alleges retaliation in violation of the FHA in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 3617.
42 U.S.C.A. § 3617.
After careful consideration, the Court finds that the allegations pled in the Complaint do not support a claim for retaliation. Cases that have permitted these types of claims to proceed contain factual allegations of incidents far more egregious than what Plaintiffs have alleged. For example, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals permitted a FHA retaliation claim to proceed when the plaintiff alleged his neighbors left him a threatening note to "break [him] in half" if he did not leave the neighborhood, ran up to his truck and hit it while shouting obscenities and spitting at the plaintiff.
Defendants' Motion to Dismiss Complaint with Prejudice (DE 18) is
42 U.S.C. § 3602(h)(1).
42 U.S.C. § 12102(2) (emphasis added).
24 C.F.R. § 100.204