Victory for Westchester Residential Opportunities in Housing Discrimination Case

On January 18th, following a three-day hearing, the Westchester County Human Rights Commission Fair Housing Board issued a decision in favor of Paul, Weiss client Westchester Residential Opportunities ("WRO"), on a complaint of housing discrimination. WRO, a fair housing advocacy group, brought the case against a real estate management company and apartment building superintendent, alleging that they had violated fair housing laws by engaging in repeated racial discrimination against prospective tenants for two apartment buildings owned and managed by the respondents. The case was tried before an Administrative Law Judge over three days in June and September 2011, and Paul, Weiss represented WRO in the second and third of the hearing days as well as in connection with post-hearing briefing. In its order, the Fair Housing Board found in favor of WRO on all claims, awarded WRO compensatory and punitive damages, assessed civil fines against respondents, and ordered respondents' employees to undergo annual fair housing training for the next three years.

Our client was represented by litigation associates Anouck C. Giovanola and Ankush Khardori, who were supervised by litigation partner Michele Hirshman.