Saturday, August 06, 2011

Rental Complex Owner/Developer, Architect Settle 'Inaccessibility' Allegations With NYC Feds In Civil Rights/Fair Housing Lawsuit

From the Office of the U.S. Attorney (New York City):
  • PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced [] that the United States has settled a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging that The Melar, a 22-story, 143-unit residential apartment complex in Manhattan, is inaccessible to persons with disabilities and in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act.


  • The United States has entered into settlement agreements with L&M 93RD STREET LLC, the developer and owner of The Melar, and COSTAS KONDYLIS & PARTNERS, LLP, the architectural firm that designed the building, in the form of two consent decrees.

***

  • The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, and disability. Since 1991, the Fair Housing Act has required that new multi-family housing complexes with four or more units be built with certain accessible features.

For the entire U.S. Attorney press release, see Manhattan U.S. Attorney Settles Civil Rights Lawsuit Against Developer And Architect Of Manhattan Rental Complex.