October 3rd 2023.
Shaniqua Newkirk is taking legal action against luxury realtor Douglas Elliman for discrimination against her. The Black woman had requested their services in 2021, hoping to find low-income housing that accepts Section 8 renters. However, the suit detailed by the Daily Mail suggests that the realtors did not provide any helpful service.
Some of the agents listed as defendants in the case, such as Madeline Hult Elghanayan, said that they only specialize in luxury real estate transactions and do not understand what Section 8 means. Another agent, Cybele Kadagian, wrote to Newkirk that she had no suitable apartments available but immediately followed up with what Newkirk was willing to spend instead of fulfilling her request for affordable housing.
Furthermore, another agent ghosted Newkirk after she revealed her voucher’s monetary limit of $1,705. This is in breach of the laws and procedures outlined in the Fair Housing Act.
In response to the lawsuit, a spokesperson for Douglas Elliman spoke out about their commitment to fairness and nondiscriminatory practices in the housing search. They also highlighted their mandatory agent training program which includes education about fair housing law.
At the moment, the case is still under investigation and the licenses of these agents could be revoked if found guilty of housing discrimination.
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