The lawsuit stemmed from a decision made by the Village of Garden City in 2004 to rezone land that it had purchased for building multi-family apartments to building townhouses or single-family homes. As reported in The New York Times, the Village, which is comprised primarily of white residence, decided to change from building multi-family apartments to building pricey townhouses or single family homes after residents complained that the multi-family apartments would attract lower-income residents. Federal Judge Arthur D. Spatt ruled “the village’s acts had both an adverse impact on minorities and tended to perpetuate segregation.”
New York State and Federal laws prohibit someone from denying you the opportunity to rent or buy a house because of your race, color, national origin, religion, gender, disability, marital status, children, age, or sexual preference. Housing, mortgage and credit discrimination laws apply to:
- Sellers
- Landlords
- Property managers
- Mortgage brokers
- Real estate agents
- Lending and credit institutions
- Building contractors
- Appraisers
- Architects
If you believe that you have been the victim of housing discrimination, you should protect your rights and consult with an attorney.
