California —
Heywood Gardens, a senior center apartment complex in Simi Valley, Calif., partially subsidized through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, has stopped including explicitly religious messages in property newsletters.
A Heywood Gardens resident reported that the building manager was leading Christian prayers at group activities. FFRF’s complainant reported that in November and December 2024, the manager sent residents newsletters that promoted prayer and her personal religious beliefs. Additionally, in the December 2024 newsletter, the manager told residents, “We will begin the holiday dinner with an opening prayer, so come late if you do not want to join in, please.”
FFRF pointed out that the fact that the building manager was instructing residents to arrive late to events if they did not want to pray indicated that she was aware that the staff-imposed prayer made residents uncomfortable and they were legally problematic.
“As you are aware, federal regulations prohibit public housing facilities receiving federal funding, like Heywood Gardens, from engaging in religious activities,” FFRF Staff Attorney Sammi Lawrence wrote.
Despite FFRF having sent multiple letters to the property president from December 2024 to April 2025, no official response was delivered from management. Thankfully, FFRF’s complainant followed up on the issue in June, informing FFRF that the manager no longer references religion in her newsletters.
