Robert Franke, PhD, and his daughter, Sara Franke Bowling, have filed a federal lawsuit against an Arkansas assisted living facility, claiming that Franke was illegally evicted because he is HIV positive, Today’s THV reports. Franke is a former dean and professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

According to the article, Lambda Legal, a national law firm specializing in LGBT and HIV civil rights cases, recently called a press conference in Little Rock to publicly introduce the Frankes’ case. Lambda Legal believes that the managers of the Fox Ridge facility violated the Fair Housing Act.

“What he deserves is our appreciation, compassion and respect, and what he didn’t deserve is rejection and eviction from the community in which he chose to live,” said Scott Schoettes, an HIV-positive project attorney with Lambda Legal.

In addition to asking that Fox Ridge readmit Franke as a resident, the father and daughter also seek monetary compensation and want this case to bolster HIV awareness.

The Fox Ridge company is not commenting at this time.