On Thursday, August 8, 2022, it was announced that lawyers at Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel had reached a settlement agreement on behalf of their client, the Fair Housing Justice Center, alleging that Parkchester Preservation Management enforced an income requirement for rental applicants that excluded renters with housing subsidies, including Section 8 vouchers. The complaint, originally filed in 2016, was based on year-long testing investigation by the FHJC and revealed that Parkchester’s practice violated the City’s Human Rights Law, which requires housing providers to accept rental vouchers as a lawful source of income.

As part of the settlement, Parkchester agreed to eliminate its minimum income requirement and ensure that at least 850 apartments will be rented to applicants with rent subsidies. They also agreed to not apply credit score, employment, or housing history requirements to any applicant using rental assistance, change its public messaging to include the no-minimum-income requirement policy, modify application forms to comply with fair housing laws, and provide fair housing training for Parkchester staff.

Respondents also agreed to pay more than $2.2 million in a civil penalty, damages, and attorneys’ fees.

FHJC was represented by ECBAWM partner Diane L. Houk, and associates Vivake Prasad and Eric Abrams.

Press:
“Bronx landlord hit with $1 million penalty for housing discrimination,” Gothamist

“Bronx Apartment Complex Settles Rental Subsidy Bias Case,” Law360