As we end Women’s History Month and prepare for National Fair Housing Month, Relman Colfax would like to lift up the women who fought for fair housing and inspired our work, while also celebrating those who we have the good fortune to work alongside today to create change.
Catherine Bauer was a pioneer for public housing and upheld the conviction that the government had not only the power, but also the responsibility to fix the housing system. Bauer was the primary author of the Housing Act of 1937, which revolutionized American housing by providing affordable, subsidized residences for low-income families for the very first time in our nation’s history. She was chosen to become the first Director of Information and Research for the United States Housing Authority. Bauer’s vision for safe, affordable housing for all laid the foundation for the modern housing policies we have to this very day.
Patricia Roberts Harris was a prominent lawyer, the first Black woman to serve as a United States ambassador, the first Black woman to become a law school dean, and the first Black woman to serve as a Cabinet Secretary. Harris was a major figure during the Civil Rights Movement and her impact on the fair housing movement remains pivotal to this day. Harris was selected by President Carter to become Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and she helped reshape the focus of the department during her tenure. Harris helped expand access to affordable housing for low-income families and played a key role in establishing the nation’s first public housing program. Her lifelong commitment to civil rights and equity continues to guide and inspire our work today.
At Relman Colfax, we have had the privilege to work with and learn from modern day housing activists and advocates who are using their voices to make equality a reality for all. Leaders like President and CEO of the National Fair Housing Alliance Lisa Rice, President and CEO of Access Living Karen Tamley, and Executive Director of the Tennessee Fair Housing Council Martie Lafferty are some of the incredible women in this space who are increasing access to equal housing opportunities and dismantling housing discrimination.
Their leadership and dedication to justice has absolutely shaped how we fight for fair housing. As we carry this work forward, we encourage you to read more below about our most recent wins and ongoing efforts to advance justice for all.
Speaking Out Against Troubling Terms For Victims Of Housing Scam
In early March, Relman Colfax represented a coalition of the nation’s premiere nonprofits defending fair housing, civil rights, and immigration advocacy in submitting an amicus brief asking the federal court in Houston, Texas to refuse to enter a proposed settlement agreement in Consumer Financial Protection Bureau et al. v. Colony Ridge Development LLC, et al.
Colony Ridge is a collection of six subdivisions in Liberty County, Texas, located 40 miles northeast of Houston. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) sued Colony Ridge in December 2023 for operating an illegal land sales scheme and targeting tens of thousands of Hispanic borrowers with false statements and predatory loans with interest rates of 10.9% to 12.9%—three to five times typical market rates. According to the lawsuit, Colony Ridge sold unsuspecting families flood-prone land without water, sewer, or electrical infrastructure, and that the company set borrowers up to fail with loans they could not afford. As alleged in the lawsuit, roughly 1-in-4 Colony Ridge loans ended in foreclosure, but the company “repurchased” the properties from itself to sell them again to unsuspecting new borrowers.
On February 10, 2026, following a change in Administration and the appointment of a new Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Harmeet Dhillon, the Government announced it had reached a settlement agreement with Defendants. In the press release, Dhillon mischaracterized the settlement as a victory against “schemes which ultimately encourage illegal immigration.” The settlement agreement proposed by the Trump-Vance administration would end this case with no monetary relief for the borrowers who suffered foreclosure or other severe financial harm from this scheme. Instead, the agreement would require Colony Ridge to set aside $20 million for increased law enforcement presence, including immigration enforcement.
Relman Colfax submitted an amicus brief on behalf of the National Fair Housing Alliance, League of United Latin American Citizens, Center for Responsible Lending, the National Consumer Law Center, UnidosUS, the Poverty & Race Research Action Council, Public Justice, and Southern Poverty Law Center. The amicus brief argues that the Court should deny the parties’ motion to enter the agreement because the settlement is improper.
“The court has an independent obligation to review the terms of the settlement, and across all metrics this settlement should fail the review,” said Yiyang Wu in a joint statement. “The settlement should have focused on delivering meaningful relief to the harmed borrowers. Instead, it funnels $20 million toward increased immigration enforcement in the very communities where many of those borrowers reside, thereby creating new avenues to further prey upon the community. We are hopeful that our motion will help the court understand the import of its decision and that the court will deny the government and defendants’ motion.”
This news made headlines in the Houston Chronicle, where Nick Abbott summarized the unlawfulness of the proposed settlement by saying, “The key shortcoming here is the failure to provide any backward-looking relief to people who already have been harmed who have lost their lots to foreclosure.”
“Both the plaintiffs and the defendants want the same thing. That's why the civil rights organizations that moved to submit this amicus brief are asking the court to, independently of what the parties are asking it to do, exercise its own judgment and scrutinize the agreement,” Nick said.
Law360, Vital Law, and Justice Connection highlighted this important work.
The Relman Colfax team consists of Yiyang Wu, Nick Abbott, and paralegal assistance from Therese Harmon.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau et al. v. Colony Ridge Development LLC, et al.
Paving A Path Forward For Housing Justice
On March 12, a federal judge in New York denied the Town of Southampton's motion to dismiss a disability discrimination lawsuit alleging the Town deliberately blocked an affordable housing development for veterans and other tenants with mental health disabilities. That decision allows the litigation to go forward and provides careful instructions about how to present discrimination claims related to land use practices in New York.
In the complaint in Concern For Independent Living, Inc. v. Town of Southampton, New York, Relman Colfax alleges unlawful and discriminatory conduct by the Town of Southampton, New York, and its Town Board that prevented Concern, one of New York’s largest private providers of affordable housing and support services, from developing Liberty Gardens, a 50-unit affordable housing development, because of the mental health disabilities of some of the prospective residents. Concern’s proven model of building workforce housing alongside permanent supportive housing is one of the most effective strategies for addressing veteran homelessness while simultaneously strengthening communities.
"This ruling is a meaningful step toward justice for veterans and people with disabilities who were shut out of a high-opportunity community simply because of who they are," said Ralph Fasano, Executive Director of Concern for Independent Living, Inc.
The Relman Colfax team consists of Rebecca Livengood, Valerie Comenencia Ortiz, Nick Abbott, and Michael Allen.
Concern For Independent Living, Inc. v. Town of Southampton, New York
Shining A Light On An Unlawful Scheme To Profit Off Of Incarcerated Consumers
This month, The Appeal, a nonprofit news organization that exposes the harms of a criminal legal system, did an in-depth investigation into the class action lawsuit Relman Colfax filed on behalf of a group of consumers who purchase food from Aramark Corporation's correctional services. Senior Reporter Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg lifted up the voices of incarcerated consumers and their families who are exploited and denied adequate quality, quantity, and variety of daily meals services.
In Smith et al. v. Aramark Corp. et al., it is alleged that Aramark, the largest prison food provider in the country, engaged in a scheme to unfairly profit off incarcerated people and their loved ones in violation of the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act and related laws.
The complaint shines a light on a concerning cycle of abuse that forces incarcerated consumers at Mt. Olive Correctional Complex in Fayette County to buy food from Aramark with money that they could use for other purposes, such as communicating with family, purchasing over-the-counter medications, or saving for reentry. Family members, already burdened by lost income due to their loved one’s incarceration, often sacrifice their own wellbeing to purchase food packages from Aramark to supplement Aramark’s inadequate daily food services.
The Appeal’s investigation into prison commissaries revealed widespread price gouging and financial exploitation, which place high burdens on prisoners earning meager wages. Relman Colfax hopes this reporting brings national attention to this issue and justice to those harmed by this illegal conduct.
The Relman Colfax team consists of Rebecca Livengood, Stephen Hayes, and Ted Olds.
Smith et al. v. Aramark Corp. et al.
Calling Out Predatory Lending With Katie Phang
This month, Co-Managing Partner Tara K. Ramchandani joined Supervising Attorney Rachel Geballe of South Brooklyn Legal Services to speak with lawyer and political commentator Katie Phang about the recent victory in Saint-Jean v. Emigrant Mortgage Co.
Katie Phang is a former MSNBC anchor and now reports on the legal and political stories shaping our democracy. Tara had the opportunity to speak to Katie about why this case was such a major victory for Black and Latino homeowners, as well as its legal significance in the fight for fair housing.
Catching Up With Relman Colfax
This month, Michael Allen, Zoila Hinson, and Ashley Brickhouse led a session, “Big Litigation, Big Results.” at the 2026 Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium by the National Federation of the Blind. This year’s symposium explored ways to defend disability rights in a quickly shifting legal landscape through collaboration and creativity. The team shared their insights with fellow experts in the disability justice space, discussing the firm’s experience with systemic litigation involving large players as an effective means of securing broad injunctive and monetary relief. They highlighted key considerations throughout the litigation process to support successful outcomes for organizations and law firms of all sizes. If you are interested in learning more, connect with the team here.
On April 1, Partner Lila Miller will be speaking at Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California’s Virtual Fair Housing Conference. This conference brings together national fair housing leaders, researchers, advocates, and housing professionals to explore how fair housing policy, access to opportunity, and community investment shape economic mobility, health, and housing stability. Lila will be sharing her legal expertise and highlighting emerging legal strategies to uphold housing equity. Much of Lila’s work has focused on eliminating race- and disability-based discrimination in housing, including cases challenging such discriminatory lending practices by banks and exclusionary zoning by municipalities. If you are interested in learning more, connect with Lila here.
On April 14th, Counsel Tim Lambert will be speaking at the National Community Reinvestment Coalition - NCRC's Just Economy Conference in DC. Tim will be sharing his expertise and insights on a panel titled: “Tax Unfairness: The Quiet Epidemic Keeping Racial Wealth Gaps Wide.” If you are interested in learning more, connect with Tim here.
Those attending The 2026 Forum from April 20-22, will have the opportunity to connect with and hear from Partner Ken Scott. The 2026 Forum convenes the leaders shaping fair lending, risk, and regulatory strategy. Ken is focused on counseling financial institutions on best practices for complying with fair lending and consumer protection laws, and on navigating financial technology issues. If you are interested in learning more, connect with Ken here.
Closing Thoughts
As we end the month, we encourage our readers to stay inspired by the women that push for meaningful change. May their work continue to encourage us all to remain steadfast in the pursuit of justice.
Sincerely,
The Relman Colfax Team
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