NY Community to Pay $75K to Settle Race Discrimination Case

Last week, the owners, managers, and superintendent of a 72-unit community in Riverdale, N.Y., agreed to a $75,000 settlement to resolve allegations of discrimination against African-American apartment seekers in violation of the Fair Housing Act, according to an announcement the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

The complaint was based on evidence from tests generated by the Fair Housing Justice Center, in which individuals posed as renters to gather information about possible discriminatory practices. As part of the settlement, the superintendent of the complex admitted that, on repeated occasions, he informed African-American prospects that there were no available apartments, but, on the same day, he informed prospective Caucasian tenants that there were available apartments in the building.

The settlement bars the community, the management company, and the superintendent from discriminating based on race or color in the terms or conditions of renting a dwelling and establishes a $35,000 victim compensation fund. In addition, the community and the superintendent must pay a $40,000 civil penalty.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice