A Fort Collins realtor has come forward with allegations against the Colorado Civil Rights Division (CCRD) for mishandling evidence and not properly investigating the Fair Housing retaliatory case. The realtor, Nathaniel Addison, said that the original complaint happened after the North College Senior Mobile Home Park issued a formal notice of trespass in June, 2024. Addison alleges that this was a violation of the Fair Housing Act Section 2617, which states it is “unlawful to coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere” with a person exercising their rights.
Addison represented a client who was interested in purchasing a home for her elderly father with the intent to live with him as a caregiver. The park notified Addison’s client that she would not be able to live with her father in the 55+ mobile home park. Addison messaged the park with a “calm, professional email” asking for information regarding the park’s lease policy. Instead of responding to Addison’s email, the park issued a formal notice of trespassing to Addison four days after the email was sent.
“If management can issue trespass notices simply because a broker’s inquiry made them uncomfortable, then policy isn’t a safeguard — it’s a weapon,” Addison wrote in an op-ed published in Medium in April. “If property managers can block professionals from doing business based on tone, identity, or discomfort, then no real estate professional — especially those serving communities of color — is safe from arbitrary exclusion. That’s not just a business issue. That’s a civil rights issue.”
The CCRD issued a letter of determination on March 3 stating there is insufficient evidence to support Addison’s claims of discrimination. The letter lists four qualifying factors that must be met, but states that Addison did not prove that the mobile home park “imposed unfavorable or less favorable terms or conditions” on Addison. Westley Barnes, the property manager, denied the allegations according to the CCRD letter of determination.
Barnes claims that he only communicated with Addison via email and phone, alleging that he was unaware that Addison was part of a “protected class” as a black, gender non-conforming individual. CCRD states that the record shows Addison emailed North College on January 25 to inquire about the property and that the park provided Addison with the park’s rules and regulations as well as the space lease agreement.
The park states that they have never had a contractual relationship with Addison. They confirm that a trespassing notice was issued for Addison, but for reason of concern that Addison was misleading staff and residents. The park alleges that “no client was identified, no application was received, and no decision to approve or deny was made,” according to the CCRD letter of determination.
Addison alleges that CCRD suppressed or misplaced “rebuttal evidence central to the investigation” and accepted “demonstrably false claims” from the mobile home park “without independent verification.” Addison also alleges CCRD violated rule 10.5(f) for failing to provide the investigative file before making a determination.
