A Florida apartment renter was surprised when his landlord kicked him out because he’s gay.
According to local news source First Coast News, Jacksonville man Randal Coffman was shocked to find out that his landlady Jackie Cooper was kicking him out of the home he’d rented from her.
Coffman had only moved into the apartment unit connected to a house on December 1st. Then just two weeks after that, Cooper told Coffman he wasn’t allowed to have girls over late at night. Coffman responded that this wouldn’t be a problem as he’s gay.
“After that, the harassment for being gay started,” says Coffman.
Cooper later came back to Coffman and insisted that he move out. Once he’d heard that, Coffman picked up his phone and started to record the argument.
"Listen to me now, you have to leave this place,” Cooper is heard saying in the video below.
In Jacksonville, Florida, there exists a Human Rights Ordinance that protects tenants from being evicted due to their sexual orientation. That said, that law doesn’t extend to Clay County.
There also exists laws stating that homeowners can only deny housing to renters working under a month to month agreement, like Coffman, if the landlord gives 15 days notice before the removal date. Cooper notified Coffman that he had to leave by the 27th, which is just short of the 15-day rule.
Coffman doesn’t want to stay where he is not wanted, however, and states that he’s looking for a new place while living elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Cooper says there are other reasons for why she wants Coffman out. According to Cooper’s conversation with First Coast News, Coffman refuses to provide a copy of his license. Plus, she claims his guests often leave their cars on her property for days. This is a claim that Coffman avidly refutes.
"My friends have only come maybe 3 times," said Coffman. "I actually made a guest list of who would come and visit me. I put my mom and dad and actually printed out pictures of everyone's cars and put them next to their names."
Again, Coffman is currently living elsewhere while trying to find a new place to call home.
h/t: First Coast News
How sad that this guy is
How sad that this guy is lying to the media. He did NOT in fact get evicted because of sexual orientation it was because he refused to provide ID and the landlord was very lenient. Additional issues followed completely unrelated to orientation. Disgusting that he is plastering his face all over the internet and lying. As a matter of fact he told the landlord that he was adopted with nowhere to stay as he and his two adopted siblings were homeless. The two found homes nearby but he was unwanted at those homes. Sad piece of garbage.
Unless there’s wild parties
Unless there's wild parties and unusual things happening there's no reason for the man to have to leave his home being gay is no reason for him to have to leave an apartment if he's being a decent tenant okay. So long as he pays his rent whose business is it who he loves and who he cares about who he has in his home
You obviously failed to read
You obviously failed to read the part where that city doesn't have to honor that part of discrimination laws. This is Florida you're dealing with where confederate racists still worship at the alter of robert e. lee and jefferson davis.
The only way you can really
The only way you can really guarantee civil rights when renting is signed leases. Renting space in someone’s home gives very few rights, if any.