A Westchester-based landlord has resolved a Section 8 case with a settlement of $105,000

Platzner International Group, a Westchester County-based landlord, has settled a Section 8 housing discrimination case in New York for $105,000. The settlement comes after allegations of denying housing to voucher holders. As part of the agreement, the company will allocate 20 units for prospective tenants using housing vouchers and waive broker fees for such tenants for five years. The case was initiated by the nonprofit Westchester Residential Opportunities, which brought the discrimination to the attention of Attorney General Letitia James’ office in 2021. The investigation revealed that Platzner had a policy explicitly prohibiting the use of Section 8 housing vouchers at some of its residential properties. The company also faced allegations of discrimination in apartment listings and inquiring about sex and marital status in rental applications, possibly violating fair housing laws. Furthermore, the $50 rental application fee charged by Platzner exceeded the legal limit in the state. This settlement serves as a reminder to housing providers of their equal housing obligations and aims to increase housing opportunities for voucher holders. Platzner International Group owns more than 200 units in mixed-use and residential complexes primarily in New Rochelle, Rye, and Pelham Manor. Attorney General Letitia James’ office has been actively pursuing landlords suspected of housing discrimination, leading to various settlements with companies accused of voucher discrimination. Other fair housing groups are also taking legal action to address discrimination issues in the housing market.

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