DALLAS (CN) - A sports club claims a City Council member sent code inspectors to harass the club because the manager had put up political signs supporting the councilwoman's election opponent.
Harvey's Racquet Club Apartments and its property manager HUB Management sued Councilwoman Pauline Medrano in Federal Court, claiming Medrano sent building, fire and code inspectors to harass them as political retaliation for erecting signs on the property in support of Billy Macleod, Medrano's election opponent.
The plaintiffs say that despite having near-perfect annual city code compliance scores for four years, a barrage of inspections began nine days after the signs were erected.
In one instance, three inspections of the property took place in a single day. In another, an inspection of each of the property's 158 units took place, regardless of occupancy, resulting in consternation among tenants. One tenant described the inspection as "home invasions and privacy rape."
Plaintiffs say the inspections were unwarranted, unconstitutional and were tortious interference of the landlord's leases with existing tenants.
The plaintiffs are represented by Evan Van Shaw.
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