Apartment Building Denies Disabled Access, Faces Legal Action

Attorney General and Division on Civil Rights Announce Enforcement Action Against a Housing Provider for Alleged Disability Discrimination.Photo byMorristown Minute

Attorney General and Division on Civil Rights Take Action Against Housing Provider for Alleged Disability Discrimination

JERSEY CITY – Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division on Civil Rights (DCR) have issued a Notice of Violation to Let’s Celebrate Urban Renewal, LLC, the owner of a six-story apartment building at 503 Garfield Avenue. The building's sole elevator has been out of service since November 2023, allegedly denying residents with disabilities equal access to their homes.

“No one should face harm from a housing provider because they have a disability. In New Jersey, that’s against the law,” said Attorney General Platkin.

“Our civil rights laws require housing providers to provide reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. That means, at a bare minimum, that a housing provider must work with residents to ensure that they can safely enter and exit their apartments,” said Sundeep Iyer, Director of the Division on Civil Rights.

According to the Notice of Violation, the property owner has failed to address the elevator outage adequately or provide reasonable accommodations for residents with disabilities, violating the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD). The LAD mandates that housing providers must not discriminate based on disabilities and must make reasonable accommodations or modifications to ensure that residents with disabilities can enjoy their living spaces fully.

DCR's investigation revealed that the elevator's prolonged inoperability has left some tenants unable to leave their floors, particularly affecting those residing on the upper levels of the building, which require climbing over 80 steps. The management allegedly did not provide the necessary accommodations for these residents despite being aware of their needs.

The Notice of Violation offers the property owner the opportunity to contest the allegations or resolve the issue by complying with LAD requirements and compensating affected residents. If unresolved, DCR may file a formal complaint, potentially resulting in damages, attorney’s fees, and civil penalties ranging from $10,000 for a first offense to $50,000 for subsequent offenses.

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