Florida County Sues Homeowners Association Charging Religious Discrimination

On Tuesday, Hillsborough County, Florida filed a federal lawsuit against the Lake St. Clair Homeowners Association in Apollo Beach charging discrimination against an Orthodox Jewish homeowner who was a member of the association.  According to today's St. Petersburg (FL) Times, the lawsuit charges that in 2005 current homeowners association president James Knott told resident Richard D. First: "Your kind of people are not welcome here."  More recently in response to a request by First to see homeowner association records, First was told by Knott that board members were available only on Friday afternoons and Saturdays-- timing that would violate First's observance of the Sabbath. Knott denies charges of discrimination, saying that "First likes to run his mouth" and has "turned ... people off."