Lawrence City Commission to consider settlement in housing discrimination lawsuit involving emotional-support dog

City leaders will soon review a proposed settlement in a housing discrimination lawsuit against local landlords that requires the landlords to attend a seminar on housing laws and make a donation to a local nonprofit.

The lawsuit, brought against the landlords by the City of Lawrence in 2016, claims that the landlords discriminated against a prospective tenant based on his use of an emotional-support dog. The Lawrence City Commission, as part of its meeting Tuesday, will consider approving a settlement agreement resolving the lawsuit.

The city claims that the landlords, Lyndon and Kathi Mullis, of KanMar Management, discriminated against Christopher Evans — whom the city identified in the lawsuit as a veteran with a mental disability — based on his disability and his use of an emotional-support dog. At issue was whether the landlords violated a local ordinance and federal fair housing law when they allegedly turned Evans away based on their pet policy for Ashbury Townhomes, 925 E. 14th St. The landlords denied the city’s claim and alleged in return that the city failed to establish that Evans has a disability covered by the Fair Housing Act and other housing discrimination regulations, among other claims.