Construction continues on Gardens on Gateway Senior Apartments located at 7357 N. Gateway Crossing Blvd. in McCordsville.
Mitchell Kirk | Daily reporter
McCORDSVILLE – An ongoing seniors’ apartment development in McCordsville violates laws guaranteeing accessibility for people with disabilities, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court.
The Fair Housing Center of central Indiana has joined other housing advocacy groups across the country in the lawsuit against entities affiliated with the Williamsville, New York-based Clover Group in a district court American in New York.
The complaint accuses 38 of Clover Group’s multi-family rental housing complexes in Indiana, Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania of failing to comply with the accessibility requirements of the federal Fair Housing Act. Three of these properties are in Indiana, one of which is Gardens on Gateway Senior Apartments located at 7357 N. Gateway Crossing Blvd. in McCordsville. Construction continues on the three-story, 119-unit property that is expected to open in winter 2022/2023, according to the Clover Group website. The property’s one- and two-bedroom units will be reserved for residents ages 55 and older, with monthly rents for the one-bedroom units starting at $1,135.
Housing advocacy groups found widespread and flagrant violations of the Fair Housing Act’s accessibility requirements at all 38 properties, according to the complaint.
“The exterior areas of the complexes have inaccessible parking spaces, mailboxes and routes to units and public and common use areas,” the complaint states. “Apartments have inaccessible routes into and out of units, bathrooms with inaccessible features, and other inaccessible features.”
In addition to violating the law, the alleged violations “pose safety risks for people with disabilities, signal that people with disabilities are not welcome, and limit housing options for people with disabilities,” the complaint continues.
The complaint states that many public and common use areas of Clover Group properties have routes that lack accessible curbs, can be blocked by parked cars, and have access points that offload wheelchair users. in traffic. It also states that the units have bathrooms and patios that are inaccessible for wheelchair users.
The groups behind the lawsuit investigated the listed properties, including visiting them and reviewing building plans, according to the complaint.
The complaint does not mention violations specific to Gardens on Gateway. Amy Nelson, executive director of the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana, said the organization was not commenting beyond what was in the complaint.
Clover Group did not return a request for comment.
The complaint asks the court to find the defendants in violation of the Federal Fair Housing Act and to order them to remedy the alleged violations.
Ryan Crum, McCordsville’s deputy city manager – planning and development, said the city government is aware of the lawsuit and will monitor and inspect compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act throughout the Gardens inspection process. on Gateway.
“The project is currently in the start-up stage and is expected to be completed late this year or early next year,” Crum said in an email. “All final inspections will include a review of accessibility compliance.”
According to court records, an initial conference call has been scheduled in the case for June 16. accommodate and limit housing options for people with disabilities,” the complaint continues.
The complaint states that many public and common use areas of Clover Group properties have routes that lack accessible curbs, can be blocked by parked cars, and have access points that offload wheelchair users. in traffic. It also states that the units have bathrooms and patios that are inaccessible for wheelchair users.
The groups behind the lawsuit investigated the listed properties, including visiting them and reviewing building plans, according to the complaint.
The complaint does not mention violations specific to Gardens on Gateway. Amy Nelson, executive director of the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana, said the organization was not commenting beyond what was in the complaint.
Clover Group did not return a request for comment.
The complaint asks the court to find the defendants in violation of the Federal Fair Housing Act and to order them to remedy the alleged violations.
Ryan Crum, McCordsville’s deputy city manager – planning and development, said the city government is aware of the lawsuit and will monitor and inspect compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act throughout the Gardens inspection process. on Gateway.
“The project is currently in the start-up stage and is expected to be completed late this year or early next year,” Crum said in an email. “All final inspections will include a review of accessibility compliance.”
According to court records, an initial conference call has been scheduled in the case for June 16.
