Tenant Can't Prove Source-of-Income Discrimination

LVT Number: #30375

Landlord sued to evict tenant of three-family house for nonpayment of rent. Tenant claimed source-of-income discrimination under NYC Human Rights Law. The court ruled against tenant. Tenant failed to prove that she would've been eligible for rental assistance from a charitable organization but for landlord's alleged refusal to give her a rent breakdown or that landlord in fact refused to give her any such documents.

Landlord sued to evict tenant of three-family house for nonpayment of rent. Tenant claimed source-of-income discrimination under NYC Human Rights Law. The court ruled against tenant. Tenant failed to prove that she would've been eligible for rental assistance from a charitable organization but for landlord's alleged refusal to give her a rent breakdown or that landlord in fact refused to give her any such documents. The court didn't rule on whether the law's definition of "lawful source of income" included back rent payments from a nongovernmental organization, such as were involved here.

Ketchakeu v. Secka: Index No. 48480/2018, 2019 NY Slip Op 29260 (Civ Ct. Bronx; 8/23/19; Litwak, J)