17 Sep 2020
Joint Public Hearing: To examine and identify whether and how potential homebuyers of color suffer illegal and unequal treatment by real estate agents on Long Island
Online Virtual Public Hearing
10:00 AM Archived Video
Joint – Senate Standing Committee on Housing, Construction and Community Development
Chair: Senator Brian Kavanagh
and Senate Standing Committee on Investigations and Government Operations
Chair: Senator James Skoufis
and Senate Standing Committee on Consumer Protection
Chair: Senator Kevin Thomas
Public Hearing: To examine and identify whether and how potential homebuyers of color suffer illegal and unequal treatment by real estate agents on Long Island
Place: Online; https://www.nysenate.gov/events
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Contact: William Little, 518-455-2908
Media Contact: Senate Majority Press Office (518) 455-2415
ORAL TESTIMONY BY INVITATION ONLY
SUBJECT: Follow-up Joint Public Hearing on Housing Discrimination on Long Island.
PURPOSE: To examine possible illegal and unequal treatment of homebuyers of color on Long Island and the effectiveness of legislative actions and proposals to combat such treatment.
On December 12, 2019, the Senate Standing Committees on Housing, Construction and Community Development; Investigations and Government Operations; and Consumer Protection held a joint public hearing to gather testimony and gain insight about potential legislative responses to allegations of housing discrimination on Long Island. This hearing was a direct response to a Newsday investigation concerning racial discrimination and evidence of unequal treatment by real estate agents on Long Island.
Many of the realtors and supervisors at realty companies named in the investigation who were invited to testify at that joint hearing did not appear, leaving gaps in the information needed for crafting additional legislative solutions. This follow-up hearing, initially scheduled for April 17, is meant to give the individuals who did not appear during the first hearing the chance to testify and provide information regarding housing discrimination on Long Island. The hearing is also expected to include testimony from experts on fair housing laws, best practices for ensuring compliance, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on fair housing, and related matters. Witnesses are invited to provide feedback on legislation (S6874A) enacted this year imposing new sanctions against real estate brokers or sales people found guilty of housing discrimination as well as various pending legislative proposals (such as S6713, S7625, S8096, S7581, and S7632) aimed at preventing such discrimination and promoting fair housing in the future.
Oral testimony is by invitation only, and oral testimony will be limited to 10 minutes.
For those testifying, to the extent practicable, please provide your testimony in writing in advance. You can email your testimony to investigations@nysenate.gov.
In preparing the order of witnesses, the Committees will, to the extent practicable and consistent with other obligations, accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. Timing requests should be made on the attached Reply Form or communicated, as early as possible.
In accordance with its policies of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to the Legislature’s facilities and activities. Please send any requests to investigations@nysenate.gov.
