A settlement was reached in a housing discrimination suit leveled by the New York State Attorney General’s office, but the defendant is still pleading foul.
Shady Lane Realty and Socha Management will pay the state $22,500 to settle the OAG’s lawsuit of alleged housing discrimination practices, which was filed in July 2010. The other requirements of the settlement include the owner and management company of the Glenville apartments to develop and implement non-discriminatory rental procedures and a non-discrimination policy, notify the public of its non-discrimination policy, require fair housing training for rental agents and provide periodic reports to the Attorney General’s Office.
“Depriving people of housing because they have children or because of their race is not only illegal, it is unconscionable,” said Attorney General Eric Schneiderman in a statement. “Landlords who violate our state’s fair housing laws will be held accountable. My office will not tolerate people being told where they can and cannot live based on their familial status, race, or any other unlawful reasons, and will continue to work to ensure equal access to housing for all New Yorkers.”
The charges stemmed from an undercover investigation conducted by the OAG. White and black testers were used to inquire about available apartments at random complexes statewide during several months in 2009. According to the state, there were differences in how the different races were treated.
The investigation also alleged differences in treatment between the individuals with children and those without children. Also, the state alleges the apartment complex maintained a “long-standing marketing campaign” advertising the appeal of the adult luxury living and mature living.
The settlement doesn’t include the defendants admitting any guilt towards alleged housing discrimination, however.
“In the settled agreement one of the key parts to it is we responded to all of their charges and denied each and every one,” said Bill Socha, president of Socha Management. “It still was a bitter pill to swallow to settle.”
Socha said taking the case before a court would have had his company accruing up to $200,000 in costs, not including legal fees once it is before the court. According to Socha, the Attorney General’s Office originally wanted to settle the case for $75,000 fine. He claims the reduced $22,500 penalty proves the evidence wasn’t strong enough to support the state’s claims.
“For them to have gone down … shows they didn’t feel they have a strong case as well,” Socha said. “What we were finding was their case was very weak and invalid.”
He said a previous settlement would have included the company admitting guilt, which was a term he couldn’t agree to.
Michelle Duffy, spokeswoman for the Attorney General’s Office, declined to comment on the strength of the evidence used in the investigation.
“He is free to say whatever he wants, but I am not going to discus the investigation,” Duffy said.
Socha said the lawsuit is “still very upsetting” for Deana Tope, the sole rental agent for Shady Lane before and after the lawsuit.
In response to the lawsuit, tenants of the apartment complex gathered for a press conference held by Socha Management in July of 2010 to dispute the claims.
Tope’s family was in attendance, and she explained how she has undergone discrimination for her bi-racial family with her African-American partner.
“I wonder if any of you know what it feels like and how bad it hurts to be in the grocery store with your innocent children while the woman next to you, as ignorant as she may be, spits racial slurs in your face and stares,” Tope said during the press conference. “Now I ask you with a heavy heart, how could you believe these accusations against me to be true?”
