Housing Discrimination Based On Race, National Origin, Familial Status All On Massachusetts AG Radar

From the Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General:

• Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office filed a housing discrimination complaint against two Somerville property owners for allegedly refusing to rent an apartment to a prospective tenant and his family on the basis of their race and national origin. The complaint [...] alleges that Jardelina and Olivero Costa of Somerville violated state anti-discrimination and consumer protection laws by refusing to rent to a prospective tenant and his family because they are of Indian national origin. [...] The complaint alleges that in September 2008, the prospective tenant and his cousin inquired at a local real estate company about a Somerville apartment, owned by the Costas, advertised for rent on the Internet. After viewing the apartment with the real estate agent, the prospective tenant returned to the real estate office to provide the deposit required by the owners to secure the rental property. The complaint alleges that at this time the real estate agent relayed a conversation she had with the Costas, in which they told the agent that they did not want to rent to the family because they were of Indian national origin and “their food stinks.”

For the AG's press release, see AG Coakley Files Suit Against Somerville Property Owners in Housing Discrimination Case.

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• Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office reached a settlement with a Dedham real estate company and one of its employees, resolving allegations that they unfairly discriminated against a prospective homebuyer, causing her proposed home purchase not to go forward. The Assurance of Discontinuance [...] against Discover Real Estate Corporation and its employee, Virginia E. Bethoney, alleges that the company and the employee violated state anti-discrimination laws by denying an African-American woman the opportunity to negotiate the purchase of a home in Dedham. “It is against the law to deny someone the opportunity to purchase a home because of their race,” said Attorney General Martha Coakley. [...] According to the allegations in the prospective buyer’s complaint filed with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, the real estate company failed to communicate the seller's response to the prospective buyer's offer and refused to negotiate with the prospective buyer's broker. Under Massachusetts law, it is illegal to refuse to negotiate the sale of property with a person due to the person’s race.

In addition to other sanctions contained in the settlement, the alleged violator agreed to pay the victim $2,500 in damages.

For the AG's press release, see AG Coakley Reaches Settlement with Dedham Real Estate Company Resolving Allegations of Unlawful Real Estate Broker Practices.

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• Attorney General Martha Coakley’s office obtained a consent judgment against ABG Residential, a Cambridge-based realty company, and its agent, Georgina Zala, resolving claims that the company refused to rent an apartment to a couple because they had a nine-month old child whose presence would require abatement of lead paint hazards under state law. The consent judgment [...] orders the defendants to pay $3,500 to the couple and bars the defendants from future acts of discrimination. [...] It is illegal [in Massachusetts] to discriminate against families with children in order to avoid compliance with the lead paint law.

For the AG's press release, see AG Coakley Settles with Cambridge Real Estate Company That Discriminated Against Family with Young Child.

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• Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office has filed a lawsuit against Cornerstone Corporation, a for-profit property management company that manages the Roxse Homes residential housing development in Boston, alleging that the company and one of its employees discriminated against a tenant because she is a foster parent. Under state and federal law, it is illegal to discriminate against a person based on his or her familial status which can include foster parent relationships. “It is a violation of state and federal law to discriminate against foster parents because of the familial status or composition of their family,” said Attorney General Coakley. “Foster parents serve a critical need in supporting the care, welfare and safety of children across the Commonwealth.”

• According to the complaint, the tenant had been a licensed foster parent for the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families for many years and had lived in Roxse Homes with her family, including foster children, since 2006. The complaint alleges that despite knowing that the tenant was a licensed foster parent, the defendants falsely accused the tenant of operating a day-care center in her apartment in violation of the lease and later twice threatened to evict her and her family unless she ceased such activity.

For the AG's press release, see AG Coakley Sues Boston Property Management Company and its Manager for Discrimination Against Foster Parent.