Federal Action Helps Right Wrongs Against Military Personnel — Including Some from South Georgia: UPDATED
By Carol A. Gasser Moore
FLORIDA / Georgia — The U.S. Department of Justice has reached a settlement with a Florida-based property management firm that illegally charged active-duty servicemembers — including those stationed in or from South Georgia — early lease termination fees, violating federal protections designed to shield those who serve.
JWB Real Estate Management, a company headquartered in Jacksonville, was found to have imposed early termination penalties on at least six military servicemembers who ended their residential leases after receiving official relocation orders. Such charges are prohibited under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), a law that safeguards the financial and housing rights of those called to serve.
Federal officials say some of the affected personnel had ties to military bases and communities in South Georgia — a region with a strong tradition of service and proximity to Jacksonville’s large military installations.
“As soon as we got the orders, I thought our housing situation was covered,” said one Army specialist whose unit was redeployed from Moody Air Force Base in Lowndes County. “Instead, we were hit with hundreds in fees. It felt like a slap in the face.”
The Department of Justice’s investigation concluded that JWB violated the law and exploited the limited leverage servicemembers have when dealing with landlords during sudden relocations. As part of the settlement, the company must pay more than $39,000 in compensation to affected military personnel and a $25,000 civil penalty. JWB is also required to reform its lease policies and complete compliance training.
Upholding the Law for Those Who Uphold the Nation
“Our military families already shoulder the burden of military-ordered moves and deployments,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division. “We will not allow them to be penalized by landlords for answering the call of duty.”
Servicemembers who receive deployment or transfer orders are entitled under the SCRA to terminate leases without penalty. That protection is especially critical in communities surrounding bases like Moody AFB near Valdosta and Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning) further west, where families often rely on civilian property managers in nearby cities, including Jacksonville.
The U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida, Gregory W. Kehoe, emphasized that the prosecution reflects a broader commitment: “Our servicemembers make tremendous sacrifices to protect the rights and freedoms of our citizens, and we will combat all forms of discrimination against them.”
What South Georgia Military Families Should Know
The SCRA is a powerful legal shield for active-duty servicemembers, yet violations still occur — often in ways that are difficult to challenge without legal help. Since 2011, the DOJ has recovered more than $483 million in SCRA enforcement cases affecting over 148,000 servicemembers.
Local veterans advocates say awareness is key. “This ruling is a win, not just for the six affected servicemembers, but for every soldier, sailor, airman, and Marine who rents off-base housing in our region,” said Marcus Hines, a retired Air Force sergeant and Valdosta-based veterans outreach coordinator. “It sends a message: federal law protects you — and justice will catch up with those who ignore it.”
Servicemembers or their families who believe their SCRA rights have been violated can seek free help through the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program office or visit www.servicemembers.gov for more information.
Nation’s Largest Property Management Company to Pay Over $1.4M for Unlawful Charges on Military Servicemembers
The Department alleged that Greystar, the nation’s largest property management company with over 800,000 housing units under management, relied on software that it knew would automatically impose early termination charges on SCRA-protected servicemembers.
Greystar will set aside $1.35 million to pay affected military members and their co-tenants and will pay a $77,370 civil penalty. Greystar will pay triple damages to the servicemembers who paid the early termination charges. The company will also make changes to its policies and training, including adopting SCRA-compliant software and forms at all its properties.
“We honor the service and sacrifices of our military by defending their rights under the law,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are aggressively enforcing all laws, including the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, to protect our military servicemembers and veterans.”
“America’s servicemembers devote their lives to defending our nation and must be able to do so without undue burdens,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act protects our military families from unfair hardships such as penalties for terminating a housing lease to fulfill military orders. We will continue to defend and support those who keep our country safe.”
The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $483 million in monetary relief for over 148,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.
Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil.
