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THE COMPLAINT STATED A CAUSE OF ACTION FOR A VIOLATION OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BY LANDLORDS AGAINST POTENTIAL TENANTS BASED UPON SOURCE OF INCOME; ALTHOUGH THE ISSUE WAS NOT RAISED BELOW IT PRESENTED A QUESTION OF LAW REVIEWABLE ON APPEAL (FOURTH DEPT). ​

The Fourth Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the complaint stated a cause of action for a violation of the Executive Law prohibiting discrimination in renting an apartment based upon source of income. Although the issue was raised for the first time on appeal, the issue presented a question of law which could not have been avoided had it been raised below:

Executive Law § 296 (5) (a) (2) provides in relevant part that it “shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for the owner, lessee, sub-lessee, assignee, or managing agent of, or other person having the right to sell, rent or lease a housing accommodation, constructed or to be constructed, or any agent or employee thereof . . . [t]o discriminate against any person because of . . . lawful source of income . . . in the terms, conditions or privileges of the sale, rental or lease of any such housing accommodation or in the furnishing of facilities or services in connection therewith.” Plaintiff alleged in its amended complaint that it sent two testers to defendants’ properties seeking to rent the properties. The testers asked defendants if they accepted security agreements, which are issued by the Erie County Department of Social Services to landlords in the amount of one month’s rent in lieu of a cash deposit. Defendants responded that they accepted those agreements, but that they also required tenants to put down a cash deposit of one-half of a month’s rent for the security deposit.

… The allegations in the amended complaint support the inference that, for a person whose lawful source of income is public assistance … , defendants imposed a different term or condition for the rental than for a person whose lawful source of income was not public assistance. In particular, for a person on public assistance, defendants required one-half’s month rent, in cash, as a security deposit in addition to the security agreements. Housing Opportunities Made Equal v DASA Props. LLC, 2023 NY Slip Op 03607, Fourth Dept 6-30-23

Practice Point: The Executive Law prohibits landlords from discriminating against potential tenants by requiring a cash deposit in addition to security agreements issued by the county.

Practice Point: An issue not raised below will be considered on appeal if it presents a question of law which could not have been avoided if raised below.

 

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