Justice Department sues over disabled access at LV apartments

Tuesday, Feb. 2, 1999 | 11:40 a.m.

The largest apartment owner in Las Vegas is being sued by the federal government for allegedly failing to provide accessible housing for people with disabilities.

The suit involves nine Las Vegas properties -- eight apartment complexes and a condominium -- and was filed Monday in Las Vegas.

The Justice Department sued Camden Property Trust and Camden Subsidiary II Inc., two Texas companies that own the properties; and George Tibsherany, a Scottsdale, Ariz. architect.

Two Las Vegas companies also were named as defendants. Robert V. Jones Inc., a Las Vegas builder, and Becker Built Homes, a Las Vegas property development partnership, were included.

The suit says the defendants violated the Fair Housing Act by failing to design and construct dwellings so they are accessible to people with disabilities. Under the law, multifamily dwellings of more than four units must meet certain accessibility requirements if they were designed for first occupancy after March 13, 1991.

The government wants the court to require the defendants to make the properties accessible and to compensate victims.

The Las Vegas properties cited in the complaint: Oasis Canyon, formerly known as Calico Canyon, 8450 W. Charleston Drive; Oasis Del Mar, formerly known as Blackhorse, 9225 W. Charleston Blvd.; Oasis Pines, 5155 S. Torrey Pines Drive; Rock Creek Manor, a condominium, 1616-1618 N. Jones Blvd.; Oasis Reef, formerly known as Lighthouse Cove, 6500 W. Lake Mead Blvd.; Oasis Rose, formerly known as Desert Rose, 5024 Broken Sound Drive; Oasis Vinings II, 6100 Carmen Blvd.; Oasis Vintage, formerly known as Birdrock, 6500 Vegas Drive; and Oasis Hills, formerly known as Shadow Hills, 2121 N. Jones Blvd.

Oasis Residential Inc. was the original developer of all the properties named in the suit except the condominium and Oasis Hills. Camden bought Oasis last year. Today, the company operates 42 Las Vegas-area apartment complexes that are home to about 33,000 people.

Oasis Hills was developed by Becker Built Homes, which sold the complex to Oasis.

A spokeswoman for the Justice Department said today the suit deals specifically with the Las Vegas properties and is one of many discrimination suits filed nationally. Christine DiBartolo said the agency recently filed suit against several residential properties in the Chicago area.

Barry Becker, a partner in Becker Built Homes, said any violations of the Fair Housing Act were unintentional and that construction occurred at around the time the law took effect.

Becker also said Camden has "done its best to settle with the government" and even agreed to alter certain units to accommodate disabled people.

Representatives of Camden and Robert V. Jones were unavailable today.

"Congress amended the Fair Housing Act 10 years ago to mandate accessible housing for persons with disabilities," said Bill Lann Lee, acting assistant attorney general for civil rights. "Unfortunately, this kind of discrimination against people with disabilities is all too common. We will continue to bring cases of this kind in order to assure that persons with disabilities are guaranteed equal access to multifamily homes."