Attempt to settle civil lawsuit against DuBois landlord fails
An attempt to resolve a federal civil rights complaint against a DuBois landlord who is accused of seeking sexual favors from several female tenants has failed, according to a report sent recently to U.S. District Judge Stephanie Haines in Johnstown.
Haines is presiding over the case in which several tenants alleged Timothy Britton, the owner of Britton Enterprises (also known as Tim’s Apartments), with seeking sexual favors in return for reduced rent or excused late rent payments.
The civil rights complaint was filed by the U.S. Department of Justice in May.
It contends Britton subjected his female tenants “to unwelcome and severe or pervasive sexual harassment.”
Britton’s company is alleged to own or operate 40 residential rental properties in DuBois, Falls Creek, Brockway and Reynoldsville.
Britton, it charges, shows the properties to prospective tenants, oversees the maintenance of the properties and participates in collecting the rent.
In July, Britton answered the federal charges denying he offered to reduce rent or excuse late payments in exchange for sexual favors.
He also denies the accusations of unwelcome touching and sexual harassment and denied the accusation by the Department of Justice that he demonstrated a “long-standing pattern of illegal sexual harassment of multiple tenants, dating back to 2016.”
Britton also claimed many of his actions against tenants were taken in response to “unlawful or fraudulent actions by individual tenants.”
Haines suggested the two slides attempt to settle the case and appointed a former judge, Thomas I. Vanaskie, as the mediator.
A mediation session was held in late October, and last week Vanaskie reported the case has not been resolved.
Meanwhile, the case continues on its path toward trial.
The federal docket reports that discovery is to be completed by Jan. 31.
The court has scheduled a post-discovery status conference for Feb. 29.
Britton is represented by Pittsburgh attorney Colin Callahan.
The contention is that Britton, through his alleged harassment of his tenants, violated the federal Fair Housing Act and the Civil Rights Act of 1968.
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The most recent council only did what the low life former manager and the disgraced former solicitor told them to do. And then the mistress Shaffer just went along with it.