In a recent development, a New York state judge has declined to dismiss a lawsuit targeting a brokerage and property manager, among others, over allegations of discrimination against individuals utilizing federal Housing Choice vouchers.
NYC Real Estate Cos Voucher Bias Suit : Allegations and Ruling
Justice Paul A. Goetz’s ruling on Feb. 26 upheld the claims made by the nonprofit Housing Rights Initiative. The lawsuit, filed in May 2022, accuses over two dozen real estate companies of discriminatory practices. The nonprofit alleges that these companies impose unjust income requirements on voucher holders, effectively shutting them out of the rental market.
According to the ruling, Housing Rights Initiative employed a civil rights tester in February 2020 to investigate discriminatory practices. The tester inquired about a Queens apartment listed at $1,800 a month. The broker, Proper Real Estate LLC, reportedly informed the tester that the property manager, 86-31 57th Avenue LLC, demanded voucher holders’ incomes to be nearly 40 times the monthly rent.
