By Parker Leavitt | The Arizona Republic
The new Hanover Mill Avenue luxury apartment complex in downtown Tempe may be violating the city’s anti-discrimination ordinance by accepting only residents who are at least 23 years old.
The Hanover Co., a national developer of urban residential and mixed-use projects, opened the 341-unit complex last month near Fifth Street and Maple Avenue, just west of Mill Avenue. The project cost more than $75 million to develop and is advertised as a “23 and older community,” according to Hanover development partner Eric Kenney.
Comment by Rose Law Group Partner Court Rich:
“The rule at the apartment complex clearly violates the city’s non-discrimination ordinance. It’s just not even a close case; the question is, will any student take the time to go there, ask for a lease and then get turned down and complain to the city? Seems like a lot of work for a college student to force his way into an expensive rental community.
“This underscores the importance of reviewing local ordinances before making a real estate play. This likely has the potential to undermine the entire marketing plan for the complex. A big unforced error it would appear.”
