Coldwell Banker Accused Of Discriminatory Housing Tactics: NY AG

ALBANY, NY — New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a settlement with Coldwell Banker, stopping the real estate brokerage's alleged discrimination against Black, Hispanic and other homebuyers of color on Long Island.

The Attorney General's office opened an investigation in 2019 after Newsday investigated their discriminatory practices. The investigation involved a review of five paired tests conducted on Coldwell Banker agents — two from Great Neck and one each from East Setauket, Bellmore, and Massapequa Park.

In one case, an agent was asked to be shown homes near Garden City by both a white prospective homebuyer and a Black prospective homebuyer. The agent showed the white homebuyer listings in neighborhoods that were 83 percent white and discouraged them against looking at properties in Freeport, a more racially diverse neighborhood, the attorney general's office said.

However, that same agent showed the Black homebuyer multiple properties in Freeport.

In another instance, an agent told a prospective buyer “you don’t really know in certain areas what you’re going to get next door,” when speaking about a more diverse neighborhood, but did not share the same criticism with a Black potential homebuyer, the investigation indicated.

"There is zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind in New York state," James said. "My office’s investigation into Coldwell Banker uncovered a persistent pattern of prospective homebuyers receiving different treatment because of their race. Discriminating against people because of race is not just shameful — it is illegal. Housing is and always will be a human right, and my office will continue to address these pervasive and discriminatory practices statewide."

As part of the settlement announced today, Coldwell Banker will pay $20,000 in penalties and $10,000 to Suffolk County to promote enforcement of and compliance with fair housing laws. Coldwell Banker will also make fair housing training available to all of its agents and provide a discrimination complaint form on its website.