CHARLESTON – A woman says she was a victim of racial discrimination when she was denied relocation to another property after a fire at her rental complex.
Wilma Harris filed her complaint in Kanawha Circuit Court against WV 2020 Holding LLC and ProCollect Inc.
According to the complaint, Harris lived at Grandview Pointe in Dunbar for more than 20 years. But after a fire on February 12, 2022, Harris says she was denied relocation to another property owned by WV 2020. Harris, who is Black, claims this decision was racially motivated, saying comparable housing was provided to a white female.
Harris also accuses WV 2020 of failing to maintain the property adequately to prevent and detect fires. As a result of the company's alleged negligence, she suffered loss of use of her residence, property damage, out-of-pocket expenses and emotional distress.
Additionally, Harris alleges ProCollect, a debt collection agency working on behalf of WV 2020, attempted to collect rent from her for the period when she was denied suitable housing.
She seeks compensatory damages, pre- and post-judgment interests, court costs, attorney fees and other relief.
Harris is being represented by Thomas Peyton of Peyton Law Firm in Nitro. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Tera Salango.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 24-C-55