Newly appointed Town Planning Advisory Board member Michael Spinelli Town of Oyster Bay
The Oyster Bay Town Board on April 14 unanimously approved a settlement resolving longstanding lawsuits brought by the federal government and New York State alleging discrimination in the Town’s housing programs.
The lawsuits — filed in 2014 by the federal government and in 2015 by the New York State Division of Human Rights — alleged that the Town intentionally discriminated against African American applicants by giving Town residents and their children priority for housing under the Next Generation Program for first-time homebuyers and the Golden Age Program for seniors.
Under the settlement, the Town’s policy was found to be illegal and it will stop giving preference to residents and their relatives when selecting buyers for homes developed through the Next Generation Program. Town officials must also designate certain employees to attend fair housing education and training sessions for three years, according to Town documents. Despite the ruling, the Town was not found financially liable.
To date, two Next Generation developments — the Seasons at Massapequa and the Seasons at Plainview — totaling six housing units, have been built in the Town.
As part of the agreement, the government will discontinue all claims related to the Golden Age Program, with prejudice, preventing the case from being brought again.
Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino said he was satisfied with the outcome.
“This marks an important milestone, bringing closure to a decades-old lawsuit that predates my administration while safeguarding our commitment to ensuring seniors can continue to live in our community” he said.
While he wouldn’t comment on the merits of the settlement, Brian S. Sokoloff of Sokoloff Stern LLP, the firm that represented the Town in the case observed that “it would have been good if the case had never been brought by the government.”
IN OTHER BUSINESS, THE TOWN BOARD:
Source: Massapequa Post
