Campground

Virginia Campground Owner Ordered to Pay $750,000 for Racial Discrimination Eviction

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Franklin County, VA — In a historic decision, a Franklin County jury awarded $750,000 in damages to two families who faced eviction based on racial discrimination at a Smith Mountain Lake campground. This case represents the highest fair housing jury award ever achieved under the legal guidance of the Virginia attorney general’s office. In June 2020, Regina Turner, the proprietor of Lazy Cove Campground, attempted to evict two families renting lakeside lots after she discovered the racial identity of one of the renters, Damien Smith, who is Black. The revelation led Turner to express discriminatory … Read more

Virginia Campground Owner Ordered to Pay $750,000 for Racial Discrimination Against Black Camper

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Richmond, VA – A Virginia jury has awarded two families a total of $750,000, finding that a campground owner discriminated against them based on racial prejudice. The incident occurred at Lazy Cove Campground in June 2020 when a campground owner objected to the presence of a Black guest. Amanda Mills and Angela Smith, friends planning a joint family camping excursion, faced unexpected discrimination that altered their experience. Angela Smith, who is white, her Black husband Damien Smith, and their young son were set to join the Mills family for a relaxing stay. However, the families’ … Read more