Litigation
Extreme indoor heat is a housing violation, Arizona warns landlords
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes sued the owners and managers of three affiliated apartment complexes in Tucson, Arizona, for failing to supply residents with adequate air conditioning, among other alleged patterns of neglect. The lawsuit, filed Aug. 7, highlights indoor temperatures reaching 98.9 degrees Fahrenheit during triple-digit heatwaves. Mayes and State Sen. Lauren Kuby have also introduced legislation to cap indoor temperatures at 82 degrees Fahrenheit for rental housing.
Bozzuto utility billing lawsuit in DC broadened to class-action
On July 15, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled to allow the utility billing lawsuit against Bozzuto Management Co. to proceed as a class action. Former tenant Laura Hettinger alleges that the company failed to disclose administrative and variable utility fees before leasing and overcharged for water in violation of D.C. law. The court certified two damages classes but denied the request for prospective injunctive relief.
Greystar faces 114 Section 8 violation claims in 6 states, DC
Greystar, as the largest apartment management company in the U.S., has been hit with 114 fair housing violation complaints by the Housing Rights Initiative in seven jurisdictions, alleging it refuses to accept Section 8 tenants.
RealPage, Willow Bridge face class-action lawsuit in Philadelphia
A Philadelphia tenant has filed a class action lawsuit against RealPage and large apartment management company Willow Bridge, alleging the use of algorithmic rent-setting software that violates the city's anti-price-fixing regulations. The lawsuit was filed on July 6 in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas, coinciding with Willow Bridge's settlement of another related federal antitrust case on the same day.
Milwaukee mass timber tower, billed as nation’s tallest, reportedly advancing to foreclosure: MJS
Milwaukee's unfinished Edison Tower project is heading toward foreclosure. General contractor C.D. Smith Construction obtained a default judgment on June 29, and the court may subsequently issue a foreclosure order allowing the sale of the property. The project, once hailed as the tallest wood structure in the U.S., halted work in 2025 due to funding gaps, tariff pressures, and legal disputes.
Major housing-related legal actions so far this summer
The U.S. housing industry has seen frequent legal disputes this summer: algorithmic pricing lawsuits continue to escalate, with multiple apartment owners and management companies reaching settlements; multifamily housing companies have faced lawsuits over poor maintenance, negligence, and misleading investors; housing agencies and their staff have also been drawn into litigation. This article summarizes notable major case developments worth attention recently.