This past summer, Housing Works came to VOLS seeking pro bono assistance to challenge a landlord’s refusal to clients of HASA, a New York City agency that provides rent subsidies to low-income people living with HIV. Landlords know that they cannot discriminate against people on the basis of race, but some believe they can accomplish the same goals by refusing to rent to people based on their sources of income (e.g. a HASA subsidy, public assistance, or Section 8). Fortunately, this practice is illegal.

VOLS was able to find an eager and highly-qualified litigation team to work pro bono with Housing Works at Morrison & Foerster. On September 30, 2014, Housing Works and Morrison & Foerster filed a complaint in the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of New York alleging violations of the federal Fair Housing Act and the New York City Human Rights Law.

You can read more about the case in the Daily News, on the CBS website, or on Housing Works’ blog.