Prospective Shareholder-Tenant's Discrimination Claim Against Co-op Dismissed

Potential cooperative shareholder-tenant sued landlord cooperative corporation for rejecting his application to buy a co-op apartment. Tenant claimed discrimination because he was Mexican American. Tenant claimed a net worth of over $50 million. Landlord claimed that its research showed that tenant was excessively litigious and personally dishonest. Although tenant set forth elements of a housing discrimination claim violating the Fair Housing Act, he didn't rebut landlord's nondiscriminatory reasons for rejecting his application. The apartment's prior tenant had gone into bankruptcy, and the prospective tenant had a lifetime financial sanction from the FDIC for lending irregularities.

De La Fuente v. The Sherry Netherland, Inc.: Index No. 17 Civ. 4759, NYLJ No. 1564585418 (SDNY; 7/30/10; Engelmayer, DJ)