ECBAWM, on behalf of the Fair Housing Justice Center (“FHJC”), filed a housing discrimination lawsuit in federal court against five senior independent living residences. The complaint alleges that the owners of The Esplanade Residences on Staten Island, in Manhattan, in White Plains, and in Rockland County discriminate against prospective and current residents based on disability, religion, and race. FHJC sent undercover testers who confirmed the allegedly discriminatory practices and policies, including refusing to rent to wheelchair users, restricting them to certain apartments, restricting the type of wheelchair permitted, and/or segregating residents who use wheelchairs in a separate dining room. One agent for the Manhattan Esplanade told a tester “you have to come in vertical.” The plaintiffs are represented by Diane L. Houk of ECBAWM and Kevin Cremin and Nahid Sorooshyari of MFY Legal Services.