Many cities have anti-crime laws. The DOJ says one in Minnesota harmed people with mental illness
By JOHN HANNA
Associated Press
Hundreds of U.S. communities have enacted “crime-free” laws encouraging and allowing landlords to evict tenants after repeated calls to police or for emergency services. Proponents say the laws help reduce crime, but the U.S. Department of Justice last year found a Minneapolis suburb used its ordinance to illegally discriminate against people with mental illnesses. The DOJ says Anoka, Minnesota, not only pushed landlords to evict tenants with mental illnesses if they sought emergency services, but also shared tenants’ private medical information with landlords community-wide. The case brings new scrutiny to ordinances long thought to be more harshly enforced in poor neighborhoods and against people of color.
