A White Plains housing cooperative and rental management company have paid $125,000 to settle a housing discrimination case initiated by M. Forster, a 34-year old disabled man living in Westchester County, New York. Mr. Forster sought to purchase an apartment in a building owned by the coop and managed by the rental company using his special needs trust but was told that ownership by trust was not permitted. The suit, filed by the U.S. Department of Justice, challenged the coop’s and management company’s refusal to grant Mr. Forster a reasonable accommodation.  The settlement was covered by Westfair Online here, and a press release issued by the government can be found here.

ECBAWM attorneys Diane L. Houk and Alanna Kaufman represented Mr. Forster and his special needs trust.