Deborah Goonan, one of the nation’s most articulate homeowners rights advocates, has posted on her website an important story about racial discrimination by a Homeowners Association. It’s blatant. It’s actionable. And it’s a story that should be read by everyone who respects all races, ethnicities and religions.
by Deborah Goonan (IndependentAmericanCommunities.com)
According to DNAInfo (article linked below), after ending a relationship with her fiance (a white man and a Wall Street executive), Hanying Liu says the cooperative board refused to transfer her fiance’s shares to Liu.
Liu is the only non-white resident of Spice Lofthouse, and alleges cooperative members have made disparaging and discriminatory statements related to her race. She says that the board has not provided a valid reason for denying her full ownership. Liu also alleges that Chinese friends and family have been interrogated by cooperative members, and her daughter, who resides with her, has been mistreated.
NY State Division of Human Rights has investigated Liu’s complaints, and recently filed a discrimination lawsuit against the 15-unit, multi-million dollar cooperative association.
TriBeCa Co-Op Board Discriminates Against Chinese Resident, State Says
(link to article on discrimination lawsuit)
Quote from Ms. Liu, in reference to her cooperative association:
“They are trying to push me and my daughter from our home,” she said.
“They only want you here if you are white — they only tolerated me before because my fiance was white and he worked on Wall Street.
“They are worse than the communists in China — they police me and my friends.”