A settlement was reached on Wednesday with privatized military housing contractors and military families over allegations of illegal evictions.
Attorney General Kamala D. Harris announced Wednesday that Lincoln Military Propery Management LP, San Diego Family Housing LLC and their eviction law firm, Kimball, Tirey & St. John LLP are required to pay $200,000 in civil penalties. In addition, the contractors and law firm will have shell to out $52,000 in debt relief for servicemembers.
The contractors are facing allegations of illegally evicting 18 military servicemembers and their families who lived in private military housing complexes in San Diego and Orange counties.
According to Harris, the evictions violated state laws that protect servicemembers who are sued while on active military duty since they cannot represent themselves in court.
Harris states that the contractors also violated state privacy laws by allegedly releasing information of nearly 100 servicemembers and military family members in court documents, including Social Security numbers and birth dates.
Due to this, the contractors and law firm were also ordered to provide privacy protections for the victims.
“It is unconscionable that companies would prey upon and illegally evict servicemembers and their families from their homes,” Harris said in a statement. “This agreement holds these contractors accountable for their unlawful conduct – including illegal evictions and privacy violations – and ensures that veterans’ rights under the law are protected. I want to thank the Navy Region Legal Service Office (RLSO) Southwest of San Diego for helping us secure justice for the servicemembers harmed by these companies.”
