Ward Tyczka was renting his Phoenix condo to a family with two children when the property manager began raising concerns. The family eventually moved out when their lease was up, but the property manager informed him this spring that Sunrise Village Condominiums Association had changed its rules to prohibit kids under age 16. Tyczka filed a lawsuit in Maricopa County Superior Court against the association and its manager, saying the new rule discriminated against tenants based on age and tied his hands in legally renting or selling the condo. The lawsuit also cites emails in which the property manager highlights that the family renting his condo is black. The lawsuit says the condo association and Slusher went too far when bringing age and race into the equation. “I’m not going to get pushed around,” Tyczka said. “A lot of people I talk to think HOAs can do that, that this was the norm and that you can do this to people. No, you can’t.” His attorney notes the Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on race and against families with children. Tyczka seeks $300,000 in damages. Slusher responded to the lawsuit, denying many of the allegations say the rule prohibiting children no longer exists. “There is no rule or regulation or CCR currently denying anyone the right to reside in the SVCA based upon age.”
