Two Orange County real estate companies will pay a $10,000 fine and undergo increased oversight after the New York State Division of Human Rights found they failed to honor a previous agreement stemming from a housing discrimination complaint.
Tower Management Service LP and Tower Forge Hill Apartments LLC, which operate an apartment complex in New Windsor, were originally accused in 2020 of attempting to evict a Black mother and her children due to noise complaints. The Division resolved that case through a settlement that required the companies to provide fair housing training to staff within six months.
But by 2021, state officials said the companies had not submitted proof they fulfilled that requirement. Despite repeated reminders and outreach, the firms did not respond to the Division’s requests, prompting a new complaint and investigation.
The updated settlement, announced Monday, imposes a $10,000 civil penalty and reaffirms the companies’ obligation to participate in fair housing training. It also places them under a three-year compliance review. During that period, the Division will conduct semi-annual checks, requiring documentation like leases, eviction notices, and harassment complaints to ensure adherence to the law.
“Few aspects of life are more important and sensitive to people than the places they call home,” said Acting Commissioner Denise M. Miranda. “If you do not live up to your end of the bargain, the Division will use every tool at its disposal to enforce compliance, and it can cost you.”
The agency said the case serves as a clear warning: settlement agreements reached in discrimination cases are binding, and violations will lead to renewed complaints and further penalties.
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