Florida Cities Win Blanket Housing Discrimination Lawsuit Shield

Florida municipalities can’t be sued for local land use decisions that discriminate based on race, sex, disability, or fair housing requirements, according to a landmark ruling issued by a state appeals court Wednesday.

Though it specifically addresses local decisions, the Florida Fair Housing Act doesn’t explicitly waive sovereign immunity for local governments, closing the courthouse doors to plaintiffs seeking to enforce the law against cities and other municipalities.

The Fourth District Court of Appeal rejected a low-income housing developer’s claim that the City of Pompano could be sued over a decision blocking development because the statute “necessarily applies only to ...