Housing discrimination is illegal. The Westchester County Fair Housing Law and the Federal Fair Housing Act prohibit disability discrimination in housing. Housing discrimination against people with disabilities is reported as the leading basis for complaints filed nationwide.
Sometimes people with disabilities need reasonable accommodations or modifications to alleviate the symptoms of their disabilities and/or to fully use and enjoy their home. Individuals with a disability can request a reasonable accommodation or modification for their home which their housing provider may have to make or approve.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS
Reasonable accommodations are changes, exceptions, or adjustments to rules, policies, practices, or services that may be necessary to alleviate the symptoms of a person’s disabilities or in order for that person to have an equal opportunity to use and enjoy their home and its facilities. Reassigning a parking space or allowing a person to keep an assistance animal can be reasonable accommodations under the correct circumstances.
REASONABLE MODIFICATIONS
Reasonable modifications are physical changes to structures made so that a person with a disability can fully access their home and facilities, or to alleviate the symptoms of their disability. Occupants are generally responsible for the cost of any modifications inside their units, whereas housing providers or housing communities are responsible for the cost of modifications to common area spaces. Examples include building a ramp or allowing a tenant with a hearing-impairment to install strobe lights in their unit.
If the request is unreasonable, the housing provider must engage in an interactive process to try to find a mutually agreeable accommodation or modification.
Remember Assistance Animals Are Not Pets
Assistance Animals such as seeing eye dogs and emotional support animals work to provide assistance or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability and/or provides emotional support that alleviates one or more symptoms of a person’s disability.
- A housing provider may not require an extra security deposit or other terms that apply to residents with pets.
- Pet restrictions cannot be used to deny or limit housing to people with disabilities who require the use of an assistance animal.
- A housing provider cannot ask about the nature of a person’s disability. The housing provider is entitled to understand that the current or future tenant has a disability, and there is the need for a reasonable accommodation because of that disability, but they are not entitled to request any additional information.
Only a fraction of the reported millions of instances of housing discrimination that occur each year are reported. If you believe that you experienced disability discrimination or another form of housing discrimination, contact the Commission by phone at (914) 995-9500, by email at or through our housing discrimination complaint form.
Our office provides language assistance services free of charge and we do not share information regarding immigration status with law enforcement agencies.
Housing discrimination is illegal. The Westchester County Fair Housing Law and the Federal Fair Housing Act prohibit sexual harassment in housing.
Sexual harassment is about power and it can cause a resident or tenant to feel unsafe. Unlawful conduct can include sexually inappropriate comments, unwanted touching, and/or withholding rental services or repairs based on sex.
Some Potential Examples of Sexual Harassment in Housing May Include
- A property manager makes unwanted, lewd comments about a resident’s body.
- A landlord tells a tenant that there are “other ways to pay rent” suggesting that the landlord is requesting sexual favors in exchange for rental payment.
- A real estate agent says he will offer a client a reduced commission if she goes out on a date with him.
- A building superintendent, porter or real estate agent retaliates against a resident because the resident rejected the sexual advances.
These examples are for general guidance purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Each case is fact specific and it will depend on the circumstances.
Only a fraction of the reported millions of instances of housing discrimination that occur each year are reported. If you believe that you experienced sexual harassment or another form of housing discrimination, contact the Commission by phone at (914) 995-9500, by email at , or use the housing discrimination complaint form.
Our office provides language assistance services free of charge and we do not share information regarding immigration status with law enforcement agencies.
The WCHRC is publically publishing its drafted recommendation, "Policy and Procedures in Reporting and Preventing Hate Incidents in Westchester County," which will be the basis of an upcoming meeting on Dec. 17, 2018.
The objective of these recommendations is to address the disconcerting rise of hate incidents and begin shifting the culture of Westchester County to promote mutual respect and an appreciation of differences, as well as to build stronger communities across the County.
The components of the plan are:
- Defining the term “hate incident”
- Training community-based organizations, schools and law enforcement on implicit bias
- Handling incidents that come to our attention
- Education and outreach plan
- Communications campaign
The public meeting is scheduled for Dec. 17, 2018 at the White Plains Public Library 6 to 8 pm. We invite you to attend this meeting and look forward to a productive discussion. Download the flier.
On April 30, 2019, the Westchester County Human Rights Commission commemorated Fair Housing Month with the Hon. Lois T. Bronz Fair Housing Award Ceremony and Panel Presentation on Fair and Affordable Housing in Westchester County.
The award is given annually in memory of Ms. Bronz, whose devotion to public service was an example for many of what a truly committed leader and activist was capable of achieving on behalf of the people of Westchester County. This year’s award recipient was Dennis Hanratty, who has served as Executive Director of the Mount Vernon United Tenants (MVUT) for over thirty years. Under Mr. Hanratty’s leadership, MVUT is the only funded and staffed Tenants Association in the County, providing case management services, preventing evictions, and rehousing tenants from emergency shelter
Following County Attorney John Nonna’s welcoming remarks, the award ceremony, and a keynote address from Mr. Hanratty, the Commission’s Fair Housing Director, Saad Siddiqui, moderated a panel discussion on fair and affordable housing issues facing the residents of Westchester County.
Mr. Hanratty was joined on the panel by additional distinguished experts in this area: Rose Noonan, Executive Director of the Housing Action Council; Andrew Smith, Deputy Executive Director of Westchester Residential Opportunities; and Blanca P. Lopez, Senior Adviser to the County Executive on Fair and Affordable Housing. Fair Housing Board Chair John Baker did a wonderful job as Master of Ceremonies.
Oct. 31, 2018 -- This year, Westchester County Human Rights Commission will host its annual celebration of Human Rights Day with a keynote and panel discussion entitled, “Freedom of Speech – The Double Edged Sword.” The event will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018 at Pace Law School, Tudor Room, White Plains NY. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. and the program will begin at 9 a.m. This is a free event and a complimentary continental breakfast will be served.
George Latimer Westchester County Executive will bring welcoming remarks. John Nonna, Esq. Westchester County Attorney will introduce the keynote speaker, Kristin Clarke, Esq. President and Executive Director of the Lawyers’ for Civil Rights Under Law.
A panel discussion moderated by Randolf M. McLaughlin, Esq., Professor of Law, Elizabeth Haub School of Law Pace University will follow the keynote address.
Panelists include:
- Kristen Clarke, Esq., President and Executive Director of the Lawyers; for Civil Rights Under Law
- Debra S. Cohen, Esq., Professor of Law
- Elisabeth Haub School of Law
- Bennett L. Gershman, Esq. Professor of Law
- Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
- Melanie Robbins, Director of Community Engagement of the Anti-Defamation League, New York
- Shannon Wong, Executive Director, Lower Hudson Valley Chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union
For event updates, go to the event, Freedom of Speech, on the county's Events Calendar under Human Rights.
The WCHRC is pleased to share its’ recommendations for Policy and Procedures in Reporting and Preventing Hate Incidents in Westchester County. We believe the implementation of these recommendations will effectively address the concerning rise of hate incidents, and begin to shift the culture of Westchester County to promote mutual respect, appreciation of differences and build stronger communities across the County.
This implementation plan has several components, including:
- Defining the term “hate incident”
- Training community-based organizations, schools and law enforcement on implicit bias
- Handling incidents that come to our attention
- Education and Outreach Plan
- Communications Campaign
There will be a Public Meeting on Dec. 17, 2018 at the White Plains Public Library 6 - 8 pm. We invite you to attend this meeting and look forward to a productive discussion.