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A28 u.s. news
Diasabra 30 aPriL 2022

Redfin settles lawsuit alleging housing discrimination

es in non-white ZIP codes at said that during a two-year
Redfin said in a statement a disproportionately higher investigation they docu-
that it preferred to spend rate than in white ZIP codes mented the effect of Redfin’s
money on advancing fair in Baltimore; Chicago; De- “minimum price policy,”
housing rather than on litiga- troit; Kansas City, Missouri; which requires homes to be
tion, and that the settlement Kansas City, Kansas; Long listed for certain prices to
was not an admission of li- Island, New York; Louisville, reap the benefits of Redfin’s
ability. Kentucky; Memphis, Ten- services.
nessee; Milwaukee; Newark,
“Our commitment to broad- New Jersey; and Philadel- The company was vastly less
ening the price range of the phia. likely to offer realtor servic-
homes we can sell is why, ev- es, professional photos, vir-
ery year, by design, we lose The lawsuit was filed in the tual tours, online promotion
money selling low-priced federal district court in Se- or commission rebates for
homes,” the company said. attle. homes listed in overwhelm-
“As part of the settlement, we ingly minority neighbor-
(AP) - Fair housing advo- fuse to make home loans to will increase our investment Other plaintiffs included the hoods than it was in over-
cates on Friday announced someone because they live in in serving buyers interested South Suburban Housing whelmingly white ones, the
a settlement agreement to an area deemed to be a poor in low-priced homes in com- Center; HOPE Fair Housing investigation found.
resolve a lawsuit against financial risk. munities that have histori- Center; Fair Housing Cen-
real estate brokerage Red- cally been underserved by the ter of Metropolitan Detroit, That meant homes in minor-
fin that will expand hous- “Our goal was to ensure that real estate industry ... Redfin Fair Housing Justice Center ity neighborhoods were like-
ing opportunities for con- all neighborhoods are treated hasn’t broken the law and we Inc., Long Island Housing ly to stay on the market lon-
sumers in communities of fairly and have access to the continue to stand behind our Services Inc., Lexington Fair ger and sell for lower prices
color in numerous major full range of services provid- business practices.” Housing Council, Metropol- than they otherwise might
cities. ed by any real estate compa- itan Milwaukee Fair Housing have, the lawsuit said.
ny,” said Lisa Rice, president Redfin has agreed to make Council, the Fair Housing
Under the agreement, Seat- and CEO of NFHA. “The changes that will stand for at Rights Center in Southeast- “Redfin’s policies and prac-
tle-based Redfin will change steps Redfin has agreed to least three years after an ini- ern Pennsylvania and Open tices operate as a discrimina-
its minimum housing price take are a positive move to- tial implementation period. Communities. tory stranglehold on commu-
policy, alter other practices, ward stamping out some of The company also will seek nities of color, often the very
and pay $4 million to settle the nation’s most harmful to increase racial diversity in Redfin operates in 95 mar- communities that have been
the suit brought against it practices, like redlining and its workforce, advertise its kets in the U.S. and Canada battered by a century of resi-
by the National Fair Hous- appraisal bias.” services to reach non-white and has generated $195 bil- dential segregation, systemic
ing Alliance and nine other consumers, and require lion in home sales. racism, and disinvestment,”
fair housing organizations in The lawsuit alleged Redfin’s agents and local partner real- the lawsuit said.
2020. minimum home price pol- ty firms to attend fair housing In the lawsuit, Redfin was
icy violated the Fair Hous- training. accused of systematic racial Under the minimum price
The changes will increase ing Act by discriminating discrimination by offering policy, Redfin didn’t offer
access to Redfin’s real estate against sellers and buyers of The lawsuit alleged that Red- fewer services to homebuyers its full services unless homes
services across the country homes in communities of fin’s minimum home price and sellers in minority com- were listed for certain prices,
and help counter redlining color. NFHA and the other policy had an adverse im- munities — a type of digital which vary by market. When
and residential segregation plaintiffs alleged that policies pact on buyers and sellers redlining that has depressed potential buyers clicked on
that NFHA and the other that limit or deny services for of homes in predominantly home values and exacerbated homes that fall below those
plaintiffs alleged Redfin’s homes priced under certain non-white communities historic injustice in the hous- minimums, they received a
policies perpetuated. Redlin- values can perpetuate racial based on race and national ing market. message saying, “Redfin is
ing is a now-illegal practice segregation and contribute to origin. The complaint alleged currently unable to show this
in which banks would re- the racial wealth gap. that Redfin offered no servic- The housing organizations property.”

Lawyers spar over DNA swab on suspect in NYC subway shooting

(AP) — Two weeks after didn’t have a search warrant. commuters. Several people James, 62, is charged with a say there’s currently no evi-
a man was accused of ter- were injured, but no one was federal terrorism offense that dence linking James to ter-
rorizing the New York “Contrary to standard prac- killed. applies to attacks on mass ror organizations, leaving his
City subway system, pros- tice, the government com- transit systems. Authorities motives murky.
ecutors and his defense at- mitted this intrusion absent
torneys are sparring over advance notice to counsel,
an FBI jailhouse visit to depriving us of an opportu-
the suspect. nity to be heard or to be pres-
ent,” the lawyers wrote. They
Defense attorneys claimed in said the search took place
a court filing Thursday that Tuesday.
agents unexpectedly and im-
properly took DNA samples Later Thursday, prosecu-
from Frank James, who al- tors responded by calling the
legedly wounded 10 people claims “hyperbole.” They
when he opened fire inside said no questioning took
a crowded Brooklyn subway place and that the “DNA was
car. obtained pursuant to a judi-
cially authorized search war-
Papers filed in Brooklyn fed- rant” that could have been
eral court claimed FBI agents known about in advance.
entered James’ cell, ques-
tioned him and took multiple Authorities say James un-
swabs of his inner cheeks for leashed smoke bombs and
DNA. The defense lawyers dozens of bullets on April
also suggested the agents 12 in a train full of morning