The state Division of Human Rights has announced the settlement of two complaints against Parkchester housing managers accused of illegally denying apartment applicants with Section 8 vouchers. The settlement covered a total compensation of $160,000 for the complainants and $125,000 for attorney fees.
The case was an example of alleged source of income discrimination, which has been prohibited under the New York State Human Rights law since 2019. The law means that tenants applying for housing using income from Social Security, Section 8 vouchers, CityFHEPS or other lawful assistance cannot be denied on that basis.
The agreement between the state and Parkchester Preservation Company, L.P. and Parkchester Preservation Management, LLC was announced Oct. 11. The companies had previously settled the city’s source of discrimination suit for $1 million, which was the largest settlement of its kind in New York City history.
In the case of Section 8, the federal program determines how much each voucher holder can pay in rent each month, and landlords must count vouchers the same as any other form of income, said the state Division of Human Rights in announcing the settlement.
“Source of income discrimination impacts our most vulnerable neighbors and is explicitly prohibited across New York State,” said Division of Human Rights Acting Commissioner Denise M. Miranda. “Let these cases be a reminder, the Division of Human Rights will use of all the tools at our disposal to root out this insidious form of bias.”
In one of the settled cases, a Bronx woman exiting a shelter applied for Parkchester apartments listed at $1,600 and $1,725 per month. The woman had employment income and a Section 8 voucher totaling $3,600 per month, yet she was allegedly denied the apartments and told she was required to have a guarantor earning at least $110,000 per year.
The other case involved a Brooklyn woman who applied for a Parkchester apartment that rented for $2,010 per month. Her Section 8 voucher covered over $2,200 per month — and she also had employment income of $3,600 per month — but Parkchester management allegedly denied her application and said she was required to have an annual income of at least $62,000.
“The value of having a home — a place to come back to at night, a safe place to protect your children and raise your family, somewhere that’s yours — is absolutely priceless,” said the Brooklyn complainant in a statement. “The stress of looking for an affordable place to live, where your children will live in NYC can be overwhelming and difficult. I’m proud of myself and the other tenants for taking a stand towards a change that’s already helping many other people.”
The rental application website for Parkchester Preservation Management appears to affirm the state law. Checked on Oct. 11, it states, “Households with rental assistance are welcome to apply. If you are an applicant using rental assistance to pay part or all of your rent directly to Parkchester, Parkchester does not use a minimum income threshold to evaluate your application.”
Click here for more information on source of income discrimination in New York.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
