Federal Lawsuit filed against Boca Condo board alleging housing discrimination against Nurse

A lawsuit has been filed in U.S. District Court in West Palm Beach alleging that the Boca View Condo Association, it’s president and management company blocked a rental application submitted by a unit owner and an intensive care unit (ICU) nurse who worked with COVID-19 patients.

The new suit alleges that because she works with COVID-19 patients, she is “regarded as” a person with a “handicap” under the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities, and that the owner, because of her association with ICU nurse, is covered under the same laws.

“During times of crisis, it is essential to support our first responder heroes who give their all on a daily basis,” said Matt Dietz, a law professor at Nova Southeastern University’s Shepard Broad College of Law, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of Tremmel and Piraino. “It is unlawful to refuse housing based upon that important job to care for those in need.”

The lawsuit further alleges that after the unit owner submitted the ICU nurse’s rental application to the condo’s management office on April 24, 2020, the condo association’s president called the unit owner and said that she did not want nurses moving into the building.