A Bronx landlord is accused of discriminating against Section 8 tenants by refusing to accept the federal subsidy for rent.
Tenant Rosalba Gonzalez filed a lawsuit against landlord Ved Parkash on Monday, alleging that he rejected Section 8 vouchers, the New York Daily News reported. Gonzalez claims Parkash wouldn’t accept the voucher to cover $853 of her $975 rent at 2051 Grand Concourse Avenue. Section 8 vouchers are considered lawful income, so it’s illegal to refuse tenants based on their use of the subsidy.
She also alleges that the Fair Housing Justice Center set up a sting where Parkash’s employees told callers — posing as Section 8 tenants — that the landlord didn’t accept the vouchers.
“This latest move by Ved Parkash, one of the most notorious landlords in our city, is nothing more than outright discrimination and an attempt to line his pockets,” Public Advocate Letitia James told the Daily News.
In February, the Department of Buildings and the city’s Health Department slapped Parkash with violations for creating illegal apartments in a building that became a breeding ground for rats. [NYDN] — Kathryn Brenzel
(To see a ranking of the landlords with the most residential units in the city in 2016, click here)