In a federal fair housing case from Massachusetts, a jury found in 2024 that a sober-home operator and his company engaged in a pattern of sexually harassing residents. In February 2026, the court entered an amended judgment that reduced the jury’s award. The case is a housing sexual harassment matter, and it shows how verdicts can change after trial.
The case and the verdict
The Justice Department filed the lawsuit in August 2021 in federal court in Massachusetts against a man who ran sober homes in and near Boston and his company, Steps to Solutions, Inc. Sober homes are group residences for people in recovery from substance use.
In May 2024, after a five-day trial, a jury found that the defendants engaged in a pattern or practice of sexual harassment of residents from at least 2009 through 2021, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. The jury awarded $3,805,000 in compensatory and punitive damages to seven people the government identified as harmed. The court entered judgment later that month.
This was a civil fair housing case. A jury verdict in a civil case is not a criminal conviction. For that reason, we refer to the individual defendant by role rather than by name. The Justice Department’s case page, listed below, has the full record.
The award was later reduced
Jury awards are not always final. After a verdict, a judge can review whether the amount fits the evidence and the law. One tool is called remittitur, where the court reduces an award it finds too high.
According to the Justice Department’s case page, the court entered an amended judgment on February 11, 2026, that reduced the total award to $1,592,983. Further proceedings, including an appeal, may still be possible.
Neither the original verdict nor the reduced amount tells anyone what another case is worth. Every case turns on its own facts, evidence and law.
Why sober homes and similar housing raise special concerns
People in recovery housing may depend on the operator for a bed, a place in a program, and sometimes help with court or treatment requirements. That kind of power gap can make it harder to say no or to report. The same concern can arise with any landlord, property manager or agent who controls access to a home.
The Fair Housing Act bars sex discrimination in the terms, conditions or privileges of renting a home. HUD’s rule on harassment says that making housing depend on sexual demands can be harassment even if the person gives in. The rule also covers conduct severe or pervasive enough to interfere with the use and enjoyment of a home.
Cases like this one are part of the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative. The Department says the initiative focuses on landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers and others who have control over housing. People can report harassment to the Department or file a complaint with HUD.
Where to learn more
Our page on real estate agent sexual assault explains fair housing rules, broker and manager supervision, and how to report. Our sexual assault and abuse overview covers the wider legal picture.
What this means for survivors
If someone who controlled your housing harassed or assaulted you, what happened was not your fault. You can report to HUD or to the Justice Department. Deadlines for fair housing complaints and lawsuits are short, and state deadlines for other claims vary. A lawyer can review the specifics of your situation.
This article is general information about how these cases work. It is not legal advice, it does not create an attorney-client relationship, and no two claims are alike. If something here sounds like your situation, the useful next step is a conversation about the facts.
