NJ Takes Action Against Landlord Housing Discrimination

Fifteen Findings of Probable Cause Issued, Five Consent Decrees Finalized, Totaling Over $105,000 in Relief

TRENTON – Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights (DCR) have announced enforcement actions in 20 cases alleging illegal refusals to rent to prospective tenants receiving government rental assistance—violations of the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD). DCR has issued 15 Findings of Probable Cause in separate complaints against 35 different property owners, property managers, real estate agents, and brokerages. Additionally, five consent decrees have been finalized, yielding over $105,000 in penalties and relief to tenants who allegedly faced wrongful rejection.

Source of Lawful Income Protections

Under the LAD, housing providers cannot refuse to rent or lease dwellings to applicants based on their lawful source of income, including Section 8 housing vouchers or other forms of public rental assistance. DCR’s latest enforcement actions highlight the ongoing practice of some landlords and realty professionals who unlawfully deny or discourage voucher-holding tenants.

Findings of Probable Cause

Scope: These actions involve 35 respondents across five counties—Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Monmouth, and Passaic.

Partnership with Housing Rights Initiative (HRI): A non-profit watchdog, HRI employed “testers” who posed as prospective tenants and informed property representatives that they held Section 8 or similar vouchers. Recordings revealed direct denials, often with remarks such as “we do not accept vouchers.”

Brokerages Named: Six real estate brokerages were specifically identified in the probable cause findings: Opirhory Realtors, Howard Hanna Rand Realty, KP Edgestone Realty LLC, Property Advisers LLC (doing business as Better Home Realty), New and Modern Group LLC, United Real Estate

Impact on Multiple Applicants: DCR’s investigation in some instances uncovered multiple prospective voucher tenants turned away from the same property. For example, an owner in Newark admitted to refusing at least three Section 8 holders; an owner in Jersey City conceded never having rented to a voucher tenant despite receiving multiple inquiries over eight years.

Examples of Discriminatory Conduct:A real estate broker in Elmwood Park told a voucher-holder that the unit was “not equipped for Section 8,” while internal text messages revealed derogatory comments toward voucher recipients. Another broker in Jersey City enforced a minimum monthly income requirement of three times the rent—not accounting for the voucher portion—effectively disqualifying voucher-based applicants.

A Finding of Probable Cause is not a final determination but indicates that DCR found “sufficient evidence to support a reasonable suspicion” that the LAD was violated.

Consent Decrees and $105k in Relief

In addition to the 15 probable cause determinations, DCR finalized five consent decrees involving 14 respondents—spanning property owners, real estate agents, and brokerages. The decrees cover properties in Newark and Jersey City. Among the brokerages settling allegations were: Keller Williams City Life Realty, Weichert Realtors Jersey City Downtown, Realty Mark LLC.

Under these agreements, respondents agreed to:

• Financial Remedies: Provide direct payments to complainants and pay civil penalties to DCR.
• Policy Changes: Implement written fair housing and nondiscrimination policies.
• Training: Undergo staff education on LAD requirements.
• Monitoring: Submit to ongoing compliance checks by DCR.

Ongoing Anti-Discrimination Efforts

Attorney General Platkin and DCR emphasize that the LAD’s source-of-income protections are critical for ensuring equitable housing access—particularly in areas where market rents and housing supply create barriers for lower-income families. With these enforcement actions, the State aims to curb a widespread problem affecting thousands of voucher holders.

“Every resident of our state deserves to have a safe, affordable place to live. We will always work to safeguard the right, enshrined in our civil rights laws, to obtain housing using government rental assistance. And with the federal government halting the work of key federal civil rights agencies, it’s more important than ever that we stand up against discrimination targeting our state’s residents,” said Attorney General Platkin. “We made a commitment to hold accountable anyone who discriminates against potential renters seeking a quality, safe place to live. We’re backing up that commitment with the enforcement actions announced today.”

Reporting Discrimination

Individuals who suspect or experience housing discrimination—whether based on source of income, race, disability, or other protected characteristics—can file a complaint with the Division on Civil Rights:

• Online via the NJ DCR website
• Phone: 1-833-NJDCR4U (1-833-653-2748)

By actively identifying and prosecuting such violations, DCR underscores its commitment to maintaining fair and inclusive housing across New Jersey.