JANE TRICHE MILAZZO, District Judge.
Before the Court is a Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Doc. 3). For the following reasons, the Motion is DENIED.
Plaintiff Kathleen Varrecchio is an elderly woman who suffers from mental illness and alcoholism. She has lived at Defendant Friends Alliance Housing II, Inc.'s housing facility, the Friendship House, for the past 11 years. The Friendship House is a 15-unit apartment complex that provides housing for mentally ill individuals. After a series of incidents in which Plaintiff stole items of minor value from other residents at the Friendship House, she received a notice that she would be evicted. She appealed this decision to the board of the Friendship House, and the board approved the eviction. Plaintiff then sought relief in this Court, bringing claims for violation of the Fair Housing Act. On September 27, 2018, the Court entered a temporary restraining order at Plaintiff's request, postponing the pending eviction. A hearing was held on November 29, 2018 on Plaintiff's request for a preliminary injunction preventing her eviction.
An applicant for preliminary injunctive relief must show: (1) a substantial likelihood that he will prevail on the merits; (2) a substantial threat that he will suffer irreparable harm if the injunction is not granted; (3) his threatened injury outweighs the threatened harm to the party whom he seeks to enjoin; and (4) granting the preliminary injunction will not disserve the public interest.
Plaintiff's request for a preliminary injunction fails because she cannot satisfy the first prong, that is, she cannot show a substantial likelihood of success on the merits. Plaintiff's Complaint sets forth three causes of action:
(1) a failure to provide a reasonable accommodation for Plaintiff's disability in violation of the Fair Housing Act ("FHA"), (2) discrimination in making a dwelling available under the FHA, and (3) interference with her exercise or enjoyment of rights under the FHA.
Discrimination under the FHA 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."
To succeed on a claim under this provision, a plaintiff must show that the requested accommodation is both reasonable and necessary.
After the initial incident in 2011, in which Plaintiff was seen on camera taking a set of keys belonging to another tenant, Defendant required Plaintiff to pay for replacement keys and see a doctor to discuss her inability to remember the event. After the second incident in 2011, in which Plaintiff was caught on camera leaving a rude note under another tenant's door, Defendant counseled Plaintiff to seek medical treatment and advised her that another incident may result in eviction. After the third incident in 2016, in which she was seen on camera taking money that had been partially slipped under another tenant's door, Defendant advised Plaintiff that another incident would result in eviction. Finally in June 2018, Plaintiff was seen on video surveillance stealing another tenant's mail, and Defendant followed through on its threats to evict her. It would be a fundamental alteration of the rules of the Friendship House to continue to allow Plaintiff to remain a tenant despite her disruptive behavior, even if that behavior was caused by a disability. Indeed, there was testimony at the hearing that another tenant was evicted for carrying a knife around the apartment complex even when that behavior was caused by his paranoia. The Friendship House has a responsibility to protect the right of peaceful enjoyment of the premises for each of its tenants. An accommodation otherwise is not reasonable.
Further, Plaintiff did not show that the requested accommodation was necessary. "In order for a requested accommodation to be necessary, the plaintiff must show `a direct linkage between the proposed accommodation and the equal opportunity to be provided to the handicapped person.' If the requested accommodation `provides no direct amelioration of a disability's effect,' it is not necessary."
Next, the FHA makes it unlawful to "discriminate in the sale or rental, or to otherwise make unavailable or deny, a dwelling to any buyer or renter because of a handicap of that buyer or renter."
Finally, the FHA makes it unlawful to "coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with any person in the exercise or enjoyment of, or on account of his having exercised or enjoyed . . . any right granted or protected by section 3603, 3604, 3605, or 3606 of this title."
For the foregoing reasons, this Motion is DENIED, and the Temporary Restraining Order is LIFTED.