Jacksonville Property Management Firm to Compensate Servicemembers and Pay Civil Penalty for SCRA Violations
The Justice Department has reached a settlement with JWB Real Estate Management over violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) related to unlawful early lease termination charges imposed on military personnel.
JWB Property Management, based in Jacksonville, Florida, charged at least six U.S. servicemembers early termination fees after they sought to lawfully end their leases due to military relocation orders, a right protected under the SCRA.
Under the terms of the settlement, JWB will pay more than $39,000 in compensation to the affected servicemembers and a $25,000 civil penalty. The company has also agreed to revise its internal policies and employee training to ensure future compliance with the SCRA.
“Our military families already shoulder the burden of military-ordered moves and deployments,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will not allow them to be penalized by landlords for answering the call of duty for service.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida is committed to protecting the rights of all our servicemembers,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “Our servicemembers make tremendous sacrifices to protect the rights and freedoms of our citizens and we will combat all forms of discrimination against them to help ensure that they are able to fulfill their military obligations.”
The Department’s enforcement of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) is led by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section. Since 2011, these efforts have secured more than $483 million in monetary relief for over 148,000 servicemembers. To learn more about SCRA enforcement, visit www.servicemembers.gov.
Servicemembers and their families who believe their SCRA rights may have been violated are encouraged to contact their nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Locations are available at legalassistance.law.af.mil.
If you’re a landlord, property manager, or attorney handling lease agreements, it’s critical to confirm a tenant’s military status before taking any action. Use SCRACVS to verify active duty status quickly and stay compliant with federal law.
