The city of Faribault is making criminal background checks optional and revising other rental housing rules as part of a settlement in a federal lawsuit that claimed racial discrimination.“This settlement sends a clear message that this discriminatory conduct, which robbed immigrants and Black people of their homes and pushed them out of the city, will no longer be tolerated here or across the nation.” The city maintains its rules were legal but issued a statement saying the settlement was made to “avoid the expense of a lengthy trial.” The ACLU filed the class action lawsuit in 2018, claiming the city’s ordinances were discriminatory and had the aim of “reducing the number of people of color living in rental housing.” The suit was filed on behalf of seven tenants who faced eviction, as well as the organization Somali Community Resettlement Services.Landlords who decide to continue background checks may only consider select felony criminal convictions within the prior five years.While I can never replace the togetherness my family lost, I hope this settlement prevents discrimination like this from happening to other Black families.” A statement from Paul Reuvers, the attorney who represented the city of Faribault, said the settlement “preserves and vindicates” city regulations that have a purpose to “provide decent, safe, sanitary and crime-free rental housing to all residents of the city, regardless of their race or nationality.” “The settlement ends four years of protracted litigation and avoids a lengthy trial in federal court,” the city statement said.Because all data is preliminary, the change in number of cumulative positive cases and deaths from one day to the next may not equal the newly reported cases or deaths."