Long Island Housing Services Inc.

Urges town to act on accessory dwellings code https://riverheadlocal.com/2025/05/07/urges-town-to-act-on-accessory-dwellings-code/

May is Affordable Housing Month, an opportunity to focus on the critical need for long-term and fair housing solutions. Today, I commend the Town of Riverhead for making significant progress in adopting its 2024 comprehensive plan update, which includes Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) as a key component of its housing plan.

Opinion | Urges town to act on accessory dwellings code Accessory dwelling units are a powerful tool that can help prevent foreclosures, enable seniors to age in place and create a more inclusive and supportive community.

DiNapoli: More New Yorkers Facing Food Insecurity, Tariffs and Federal Funding Cuts Could Worsen Problem https://ow.ly/kJia50VN2O7

Trump Budget Proposal Could Devastate New York’s Housing Landscape
Billions in aid cuts and a two-year limit on vouchers would cripple tenants and landlords alike, industry groups say.

Trump Budget Proposal Could Devastate New York’s Housing Landscape Billions in aid cuts and a two-year limit on vouchers would cripple tenants and landlords alike, industry groups say.

It’s 2025, and housing discrimination based on **race** or **religion** is *still* a thing? Not on our watch. 🏡 Let’s fight for a world where everyone can live without fear of being treated unfairly. discrimination? Not on our watch! ✋🏡 Whether it’s based on **family status**, **disability**, or **national origin**, everyone deserves a fair chance at housing. Know your rights and protect them!

Civil and Human Rights Organizations Continue to Fight Against Trump Administration’s Anti-Equity and Transgender Erasure Executive Orders Despite Denial of Preliminary Injunction https://www.naacpldf.org/press-release/civil-and-human-rights-organizations-continue-to-fight-against-trump-administrations-anti-equity-and-transgender-erasure-executive-orders-despite-denial-of-preliminary-injunction/

Washington, DC – Today, a federal judge declined to issue a preliminary injunction in National Urban League v. Trump, a lawsuit filed by a group of civil and human rights organizations challenging three executive orders that ban diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, and erase transgender people from public life. Because this is a preliminary ruling, the case is not over. The organizations continue to maintain that the executive orders are unconstitutional and will have future opportunities to prove their claims in court.

The motion for preliminary injunction was filed by the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) and Lambda Legal on behalf of the National Urban League, the National Fair Housing Alliance, and the AIDS Foundation Chicago, and would have barred the Administration from enforcing the executive orders against the plaintiffs until the case is resolved. Additionally, the decision is limited to the constitutionality of the executive orders themselves, as opposed to the legality of specific agency actions implementing the executive orders, many of which are subject to separate challenges. Importantly, nothing in the opinion suggests that all diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility programs are discriminatory or that the Trump administration is legally permitted to prohibit all of the plaintiffs’ lawful diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility activities. The plaintiffs look forward to continuing to vindicate their rights in court.

“The executive orders at the heart of this legal action are based on a blatant and corrosive lie. The fact is, equity initiatives create opportunities for every American,” said Marc H. Morial, President of the National Urban League. “The Trump administration is desperate to preserve entrenched disadvantages and to shut down every pathway to social and economic opportunity for marginalized people. Americans overwhelmingly support diversity and inclusion policies and the dynamic, resilient institutions they support. Despite today’s decision, we are confident that the truth – and the will of the American people – will prevail.”

“For decades, fair housing has been a vital, non-partisan policy of the U.S., helping ensure all people have equal access to housing, credit and other necessary resources. The values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility are embedded in our nation’s laws,” said Lisa Rice, President and CEO of the National Fair Housing Alliance. “They reinforce the promises of the landmark Fair Housing Act to both eliminate housing discrimination and foster vibrant, resilient, healthy communities where people can thrive. This case is far from over. We remain confident, as legal proceedings progress, that the administration’s actions—which jeopardize the development of fair and affordable housing, increase discrimination, and leave individuals without vital protections—will be deemed unlawful.”

“Our ability to fight the HIV epidemic is under attack by this administration’s unlawful executive orders. They are a symptom of the same racism and transphobia that fuel the HIV epidemic by creating structural barriers to accessing HIV prevention and care. We know that Silence=Death,” said John Peller, President & CEO of AIDS Foundation Chicago. “The Trump administration is trying to silence us and take away the best tools we have to end the HIV epidemic – interventions and communications that recognize and adapt to the diverse needs of communities most impacted, and that includes our Black, Latine, LGBTQ, and transgender community members.”

“The Trump administration’s executive orders have already caused significant harm to our clients and continue to interfere with their ability to provide critical services to people who need them most, especially those in Black and transgender communities who continue to face egregious discrimination,” said Donya Khadem, Equal Protection Initiative Counsel at LDF. “We are deeply disappointed that the court declined to grant preliminary relief to the National Urban League, the National Fair Housing Alliance, and the AIDS Foundation Chicago, but we are undeterred in fighting for their right to help people access lifesaving health care, find fair and affordable housing, and secure good jobs as we move forward with their legal claims. Importantly, nothing in today’s decision supports the false assertion that all diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility programs are inherently discriminatory and illegal. Our clients’ programs are not only legal, they are also vital to thousands of people in desperate need of assistance.”

“Today’s ruling is a setback, but this fight is far from over. This decision only addressed our initial request for a temporary pause on these executive orders, and we will still have the chance to prove in court just how discriminatory and harmful they are to transgender people, people of color, and those living with HIV. We respectfully disagree with the court,” said Jose Abrigo, HIV Project Director at Lambda Legal. “This ruling leaves our plaintiffs at risk of even more devastating funding cuts and even program closures, threatening the health, housing, and HIV services that thousands rely on. These executive orders are a direct attack on transgender and nonbinary people, communities of color, and essential civil rights—censoring vital free speech, stripping critical funding, and undermining protections. We had hoped the Court would recognize the urgency of blocking these harmful policies, but we are not giving up. The harm is real, and the consequences are immediate. But we remain unwavering in our commitment to fight these unconstitutional policies until they are struck down once and for all.”

www.naacpldf.org

NYS Attorney General James Urges HUD to Continue Enforcing Requirements that Promote Fair Housing .18 AGs Oppose HUD’s New Rules Minimizing Fair Housing Requirements https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2025/attorney-general-james-urges-hud-continue-enforcing-requirements-promote-fair

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today joined a coalition of 18 attorneys general in urging the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to restore fair housing rules that require HUD and its grant recipients to support fair housing in communities across the country. In March 2025, HUD announced new interim rules that reduce the agency’s prior efforts to address housing segregation and promote integration by eliminating nearly all fair housing requirements for grant recipients, including some that had been in place for many years. In their comment letter, Attorney General James and the coalition argue that the interim final rules violate HUD’s responsibilities under the Fair Housing Act.

“It is a shame that the Trump administration is trying to walk back HUD’s responsibility to prevent housing discrimination in communities across our country,” said Attorney General James. “Fair housing requirements help address the harmful effects of housing segregation and ensure that everyone can access housing with dignity. HUD has a duty to protect fair housing, and I am proud to stand with my fellow attorneys general to hold them to account.”

Under the Fair Housing Act, HUD is statutorily required to administer programs that prevent discrimination in home sales or rentals and affirmatively further fair housing (AFFH), which includes taking specific and meaningful actions to promote integrated housing and combat the persistence of segregation in housing and its harmful effects. In 2021, HUD issued a rule requiring that all grantees certify their AFFH compliance prior to receiving any federal funding. HUD’s new interim final rule walks back this requirement, replaces robust rules with a weak AFFH certification process, and seeks to dismantle HUD’s prior AFFH rulemaking efforts.

In their letter, the attorneys general argue that the new interim final rule is contrary to the text and purpose of the Fair Housing Act and the AFFH mandate, as it does not require grantees to meaningfully evaluate whether their actions will reduce segregation and promote integration, nor does it require any specific fair housing planning processes. Instead, it undermines efforts to promote fair housing and ignores HUD’s statutory requirement to affirmatively further fair housing. According to the attorneys general, the proposed rule lacks any factual basis for its drastic policy change and practically depletes HUD’s oversight to identify and address barriers to fair housing.

This is the latest action taken by Attorney General James to protect access to fair housing. Last month, Attorney General James co-led a coalition of attorneys general in urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit to reinstate congressionally-appropriated funding for fair housing organizations in New York and across the country. In April, Attorney General James stopped two brothers and their spouses who own three rental buildings in the Capital Region from illegally denying housing opportunities to low-income renters. In February, Attorney General James announced $970,000 in grants to support and expand fair housing testing and enforcement in New York’s Capital Region. In August 2024, Attorney General James made Shamco Management Corp. pay $400,000 to low-income tenants in New York City for illegally denying housing opportunities. In February 2024, Attorney General James announced an agreement with real estate broker Pasquale Marciano and his companies to stop illegal policies that denied housing opportunities to low-income renters.

Joining Attorney General James in submitting the comment letter are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.

Attorney General James Urges HUD to Continue Enforcing Requirements that Promote Fair Housing NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today joined a coalition of 18 attorneys general in urging the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban

Huntington Real Estate Agency Settles Source of Income Discrimination Complaint. “If you had a veterans voucher or section 8 voucher, this house is not, does not have that permit.” https://www.lifairhousing.org/huntington-real-estate-agency-settles-source-of-income-discrimination-complaint

Long Island Housing Services (LIHS) settled a housing discrimination complaint against Howard Hanna Coach Realtors and Justine Nerzig based on an allegation of Source of Income Discrimination. Howard Hanna Coach Realtors is a licensed real estate company with an office in Huntington, New York. Nerzig is a licensed real estate agent with Howard Hanna Coach Realtors.
Source of Income Discrimination Investigation

As part of a 2022 systematic investigation, LIHS initiated testing against Howard Hanna Coach Realtors. The testing and investigation revealed evidence that prompted LIHS to file a complaint that Nerzig refused to assist an individual with housing subsidies, such as Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH).

New York State, Suffolk County, and Nassau County Human Rights Laws prohibit discrimination based on a lawful source of income. Source of income discrimination occurs when a housing provider refuses to accept a lawful source of income, including, but not limited to, Supplemental Social Income (SSI), Social Security Disability (SSD), Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program, VASH, Nursing Home Transition and Diversion (NHTD) Housing Subsidy, Olmstead Housing Subsidy (OHS), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Medicaid Waiver program, or child support.

It is unlawful to Reject Veterans Voucher and Housing Voucher Holders

Testers were told by Nerzig that the landlord was not approved for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers or any other vouchers and that the vouchers would not be accepted. Specifically, Nerzig told a tester that the landlord was “not voucher approved from the town of Huntington. If you had a veterans voucher or section 8 voucher, this house is not, does not have that permit.” No municipality requires a permit to rent to a voucher holder. Municipalities require a rental permit to rent to anyone, and it is unlawful to rent without one.

Reinforcing Fair Housing Rights

LIHS negotiated the settlement agreement which included monetary damages of $7,000 to LIHS, and the Respondents agreed to the following affirmative relief:

Howard Hanna Coach Realtors agreed to offer free brokerage services to four clients with housing subsidies until the clients secure housing. LIHS will refer four clients with housing subsidies to Howard Hanna Coach Realtors.
Adoption of non-discrimination fair housing policy.
Update Coachrealtors.com website with a link to New York State Division of Human Rights (NYSDHR).
Respondent Nerzig will participate in fair housing training.
Amend the website to include a statement “we welcome all lawful sources of income.”
Display NYSDHR poster in a conspicuous location in their place of business.

People who believe that they have experienced housing discrimination in Nassau or Suffolk Counties, can contact Long Island Housing Services, Inc. at 631-567-5111 ext. 375. Hablamos Español 631-567-5111 Ext. 378 or [email protected]

Veterans and low-income renters need government provided housing

“This important resolution, which upholds fair housing protections for residents, was made possible, in part, through the funding and partnership with the County of Suffolk, Suffolk County Human Rights Commission, and New York State Homes and Community Renewal,” said Ian Wilder, Long Island Housing Services’ Executive Director.

“Veterans and low-income individuals being unable to use the vouchers that our federal government has provided is particularly troubling,” Wilder continued. This is not an isolated incident; we continue to see complaints about Source of Income discrimination across Long Island, New York State, and the nation. This pattern reflects a systemic market failure that must be addressed. There is simply no excuse for real estate agencies to perpetuate Source of Income discrimination, as it has been unlawful in Suffolk since 2018 and across New York State since 2019. Real estate agents already have regular education requirements in fair housing that should prevent this type of discrimination.

“Moreover, the Long Island Board of Realtors has established a public website that informs real estate agents and their clients about what is unlawful under Source of Income law. Agents must recognize that failing to advise their clients against requests that violate fair housing laws comes with significant cost. Given that the market continues to refuse these vouchers, despite the available corrective actions, we urge the federal government to allocate substantial funds to return to building and maintaining affordable housing. This is essential to achieving our national goals of providing housing for low-income individuals and Veterans.”

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Founded in 1969, Long Island Housing Services, Inc. is a private, nonprofit HUD-qualified Fair Housing Enforcement Organization and a federally certified Housing Counseling agency. Long Island Housing Services’ mission is the elimination of unlawful discrimination and promotion of decent and affordable housing through advocacy and education. (www.LIFairHousing.org)

The Fair Housing enforcement and advocacy work of LIHS was supported through funding from Suffolk County Human Rights Commission and New York State Homes and Community Renewal. The author and publisher are solely responsible for the accuracy of the statements and interpretations contained in this publication. Such interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views of Suffolk County or New York State governments.

Home - Long Island Housing Services, Inc. Long Island Housing Services (LIHS) and an individual Complainant settled their complaints of housing discrimination. LIHS’ complaint was based on Source of Income and Familial Status. The individual Complainant filed a complaint based on Source of Income Discrimination. Both complaints were filed...

CNY Fair Housing forced to cut services due to federal funding cuts https://ow.ly/4h8b50VMYYH CNY Fair Housing

"Moving forward, we're going to start to have to cut back on those investigations,” she said. “We're already changing our plans for summer. Usually do a lot of outreach in the summer. We do a lot of tabling at community events. We're canceling those plans. We're not going to be doing that community outreach. So, in all of those ways, we're starting to peel back our work and cut our work.”

CNY Fair Housing forced to cut services due to federal funding cuts CNY Fair Housing works to ensure equal access to housing opportunities for people across upstate New York.

2025 04 29 Suffolk County Fair Housing Forum

🏡Any type of monetary assistance intended to aid tenants and applicants who need assistance paying rent, security deposits, move-in fees, or broker fees are also protected by the lawful source of income provision. Such assistance can come from a charity, public entity or any other lawful source. Similarly, agreements with funding agencies, such as rental agreements from social service agencies designed to cover security deposits, are also forms of housing assistance covered by the Law. Contact us at 631-567-5111 ext 375 or [email protected]

A home is more than just four walls—it’s a place where you belong. 🏡 Everyone, no matter their *race, religion, or national origin*, deserves the right to a home where they feel safe & respected. . We are here for you at LIHS! 631-567-5111 x375.

Credit scores or credit history reports may not be used in a way that frustrates the purpose of the
Law. Credit scores and credit history reports may not be valid indicators of whether a person will
pay the rent. For example, where the vouchering agency pays 100% of the rent, consideration of
negative credit history would be unreasonable.
🏡Housing applicants must be individually considered on a case-by-case basis. A housing provider cannot have a facially neutral income or wealth requirement that is equally applied but has the effect of excluding populations with rental subsidies.

Contact us at 631-567-5111 ext 375 or [email protected] ✨