Partner Christopher B. Queally of the Orange County office and Senior Counsel Tiffany Ackley of the San Diego office secured a complete defense verdict on December 2, 2022, in a San Diego jury trial. The claimants, service members stationed at Camp Pendleton, CA, and veterans, alleged housing discrimination against a homeowner’s association (HOA) in Oceanside, CA. The HOA had sued the owner of two homes in the association for injunctive relief, alleging the owner was renting by the room rather than the entire home as required. The tenants of the two houses, all service members and veterans, cross-complained, contending the CC&Rs and community guidelines discriminated against military members and veterans who could not aggregate income to rent an entire home.
Following a three-week trial, the jury returned a unanimous 12-0 verdict in favor of the HOA in defense of housing discrimination claims. The jury also found in favor of the HOA and against the owner of the homes on the original claims.