DOJ Files Federal Suit Against State College Landlord

The U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit today in federal court against Venkatachalam Mani, a landlord in State College, Pennsylvania, accusing him of sexually harassing a female tenant and then retaliating against her by refusing to maintain the property — including a broken furnace during freezing winter weather. The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, alleges violations of the Fair Housing Act.

According to the Justice Department, Mr. Mani subjected the tenant to unwanted sexual advances and unwelcome touching. After she rejected him, he repeatedly ignored her requests for essential repairs. The most dangerous failure involved a furnace that not only remained unrepaired but eventually caught fire. With no heat and no alternative, the tenant and her children were forced to move out.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon stated: “The landlord failed to fix a tenant’s furnace despite freezing temperatures because the female tenant refused his sexual advances, forcing her family to move out with no other place to live.” U.S. Attorney Brian D. Miller added that such exploitation and retaliation will not be tolerated in the Middle District. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for the tenant and her children, as well as a court order barring further discrimination.

The Justice Department's Crackdown on Housing Harassment

The Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative

This case is the latest action under the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative, launched in October 2017. The program targets landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, and others who exploit their control over housing for sexual favors. Since its launch, the Department has filed 53 lawsuits and recovered approximately $19 million for victims.

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What the Mani Complaint Signals

Prosecutors are sending a clear signal that refusal of sexual advances cannot lead to maintenance neglect or eviction-like conditions. The deliberate failure to repair a furnace in winter — creating a dangerous environment — adds a stark retaliation dimension. While individual cases rarely set broad legal precedent, the cumulative weight of the initiative is meant to deter abusive behavior across the rental housing market by demonstrating that even a single landlord in a college town will face federal action.

How Tenants Can Report Housing Discrimination

Tenants who experience sexual harassment or other forms of housing discrimination have resources available. The Justice Department urges anyone affected to contact its Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743 or file a report online. Additional points:

  • Harassment does not need to be physical; unwelcome advances, quid-pro-quo demands, and retaliatory behavior all violate the law.
  • Retaliation after a rejection — such as refusing to make repairs — is itself a violation, and victims should document all communications.
  • The Fair Housing Act protects tenants regardless of income, gender, or immigration status.