Paula Scott accepted a non-disclosed settlement to resolve her lawsuit against Swan Creek Mobile Home Community in Ypsilanti Township.
In April 2014, the FHC took a complaint from Paula Scott. Ms. Scott was referred to the Fair Housing Center by Legal Services of South Central Michigan (LSSCM). Ms. Scott reported that on March 5, 2014, her 17-year-old African American daughter, Zakara Scott, was pushed to the ground and physically assaulted by Amanda Cadreau, a white adult resident at Swan Creek.
Swan Creek staff requested statements regarding the incident, but only from the family of Amanda Cadreau. Two days after the assault and battery incident, Swan Creek served the Scotts with an eviction notice. Legal Services attorneys successfully stopped the eviction case against the Scott family. According to the lawsuit, “Ms. Cadreau assaulted and battered Plaintiff Zakara Scott as Zakara exited a school bus at the Defendant’s manufactured home park community […] The police report was filed immediately thereafter, listing Zakara Scott as victim of Amanda Cadreau’s assault and battery.”
On September 26, 2014, a jury convicted Amanda Cadreau of assault and battery against Zakara Scott. FHC Cooperating Attorney Steve Tomkowiak assisted LSSCM in opposing the eviction and agreed to continue with the civil rights portion of the case. In December 2014, Mr. Tomkowiak filed suit on behalf of the Scott family in U.S. Federal District Court. The case was assigned to the Honorable Bernard A. Friedman. The case settled on July 21, 2015 following a settlement conference before Magistrate Judge Michael J. Hluchaniuk.