A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit brought by prospective tenants of affordable units at a Hudson Yards tower who claimed policies in the building were discriminatory.
Judge Valerie Caproni tossed the suit against Related Companies and Ery South Residential Tower, which was filed last year by three prospective tenants who won a 2019 lottery for apartments in a sleek high-rise at 15 Hudson Yards.
The suit claimed the prospective affordable housing tenants would be denied access to luxury amenities such as a rooftop deck, pool and fitness center that were available to condo owners. It also claimed that the plaintiffs would have to enter the building through a so-called “poor door.”
In an opinion filed Wednesday, Caproni wrote that the suit failed to show the trio of would-be tenants were given disparate treatment, because they are not “similarly situated” to condo owners.
“If Plaintiffs had alleged … that tenants of affordable housing units who are white are given access to amenities denied to Black and Hispanic affordable housing tenants, they would adequately allege disparate treatment,” Caproni wrote.
A spokesperson for Related praised the judge’s decision to dismiss the “frivolous” suit.
“As we said from the very beginning, this lawsuit was a frivolous, headline-chasing endeavor by a plaintiff’s lawyer and had no basis in fact. We appreciate the court dismissing these completely baseless claims,” the spokesperson said.
An attorney for the plaintiffs did not immediately respond to request for comment.
