Mercer Times

Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division on Civil Rights (DCR) announced today that DCR has issued Findings of Probable Cause in eight additional cases alleging disability discrimination by management companies and housing providers in violation of the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD).

The eight cases involve allegations that management companies or housing providers either denied rental opportunities to individuals with disabilities, allowed severe or pervasive harassment of tenants based on disability, or refused reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities.

DCR's investigation found sufficient evidence to support these allegations, indicating violations of the LAD, which prohibits discrimination and bias-based harassment in housing and requires accommodations for individuals with disabilities unless deemed unreasonable.

Complaints were filed by individuals with disabilities from Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Ocean, and Union counties.

“In New Jersey, the strong protections offered by our Law Against Discrimination mean you don’t have to face housing discrimination because of your disability,” said Attorney General Platkin. “The enforcement actions we are announcing today reflect our office’s ongoing commitment to putting a stop to disability discrimination across our state.”

“People with disabilities continue to face persistent and systemic obstacles to obtaining housing,” said Sundeep Iyer, Director of the Division on Civil Rights. “Our laws make clear that disability discrimination in housing is against the law – but those protections don’t mean much without meaningful enforcement. That’s why we’ve stepped up our efforts to combat housing discrimination and disability discrimination across our state, and why we’ll continue our work to help ensure everyone has a fair shot at obtaining safe, affordable housing.”

In one case, the owner of the Cooper Building in Camden allegedly canceled a lease agreement due to an individual’s disability after initially extending it. The owner’s representative expressed concerns about safety and liability risks associated with the tenant's condition.

Another case involved a seven-unit rental property owner in Seaside Park who allegedly failed to address tenant-on-tenant harassment based on disability despite being aware of it.

Additionally, six other Findings of Probable Cause were issued where housing providers allegedly denied reasonable accommodations for residents with disabilities. For instance, Penn Properties Management Company did not respond adequately to a tenant's request for accommodation concerning mold and electrical issues affecting their health.

Another case involved Mill Run at Union Apartments denying a tenant's request for an accessible parking space as a reasonable accommodation for her disability without providing evidence that such accommodation would be unreasonable or burdensome.

A Finding of Probable Cause indicates DCR has completed its preliminary investigation and found sufficient evidence suggesting violations of LAD. These findings do not represent final adjudication; further proceedings will determine if penalties apply.

For more information on rights under LAD or filing complaints regarding alleged violations:

Contact: 1-833-NJDCR4U (833-653-2748)

The New Jersey Division on Civil Rights enforces various anti-discrimination laws including LAD and works towards preventing bias-based harassment across employment, housing, and public accommodations statewide.