ECBAWM Settles Housing Discrimination Case Against Empire Management America

  • March 2, 2016

A federal court approved a $230,000 settlement of a housing discrimination case brought by ECBAWM on behalf of two non-profits and seven individuals. The plaintiffs alleged that Manhattan-based management company Empire Management America Corp., the owner, and manager of a Suffolk County apartment complex racially discriminated against African Americans. In 2014, African American and white testers went to the complex and inquired about renting apartments. The complaint alleged that the African American testers were lied to about the number of available apartments and when apartments would become available to rent in the future. The African American testers, Fair Housing Justice Center, and ERASE Racism were plaintiffs in the case. The settlement requires the defendants to provide housing discrimination training for its employees, adopt a non-discrimination policy, publicly advertise apartments for rent, and permit inspection of certain records for three years. The plaintiffs were represented by ECBAWM attorneys Diane L. Houk and Ted Oxholm.