Local News in Brief : School Sues Its City
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United College of Business is suing the city of Downey, alleging that the city denied its request to double its enrollment because minority students who attend the school would “discourage higher-income, white customers from patronizing nearby businesses.”
Two lawsuits, one filed in Los Angeles Superior Court and the other in U.S. District Court, seek $7 million in damages and ask for orders compelling the city to permit the expansion.
Downey Director of Community Development Jim Cutts denied the school’s allegation, saying the city refused the permit in May because nearby businesses complained that the school’s current enrollment causes parking problems. At issue is the school’s request to increase from 250 to 500 the number of students attending classes at a building at Firestone Boulevard in Downey. College President Alan D. Mentzer said 65% of the students at the Firestone location are Latino or black.
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