Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Y. Kim for the Southern District of New York announced today that the United States has filed a lawsuit under the Fair Housing Act (FHA) against Lettire Construction Corp. (LETTIRE) for failing to design and construct apartment buildings that meet accessibility standards for people with disabilities. The suit also includes related entities involved in the design and construction of the affected buildings. Along with the lawsuit, proposed consent decrees have been submitted to the court with LETTIRE, East 124th Street LLC, and other related entities involved in the construction, pending approval.
"Today’s filing is the 20th suit that this Office has brought to remedy the failure of real estate developers to comply with the Fair Housing Act. We appreciate Lettire’s and East 124th Street LLC’s cooperation in taking responsibility for their actions so that more properties are rendered accessible to more people. This Office will remain vigilant in ensuring that developers, construction managers, and architects comply with the FHA and remedy inaccessible housing in this District," said Edward Y. Kim, Acting U.S. Attorney.
The FHA mandates that multifamily housing built after January 1991 must be designed with basic accessibility features for people with disabilities.
According to the lawsuit, several buildings constructed by LETTIRE fail to meet these standards, including high thresholds at entrances and bathrooms that lack adequate floor space for wheelchair users. These issues are identified at three properties:
- The Tapestry, 245 East 124th Street, Manhattan, where LETTIRE is named along with LETTIRE 124th Street LLC as a co-developer, and East 124th Street LLC as the owner.
- Chestnut Commons, 3269 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, with LETTIRE as the contractor, and UBC Chestnut Commons LLC, Chestnut Commons Housing Development Fund Corp., and MHANY Management Inc. as co-defendants.
- The Atrium, 57 Marcus Garvey Boulevard, Brooklyn, which opened in 2024. LETTIRE had engaged an accessibility consultant, and the identified issues are being remediated under government consultation.
The complaint argues that LETTIRE's actions represent a pattern of violating the rights of individuals with disabilities under the FHA. It calls for a court order to retrofit the buildings to meet accessibility standards and requires LETTIRE to adopt future policies ensuring compliance. Additionally, compensation for individuals who suffered due to these inaccessible conditions is sought.
Under the settlement, LETTIRE has agreed to complete necessary retrofits at The Atrium and take steps to ensure compliance in future projects. LETTIRE will pay a civil penalty of $20,000, with related entities paying $10,000 each. East 124th Street LLC will also make necessary retrofits at The Tapestry and pay a civil penalty of $10,000. Furthermore, East 124th Street LLC will provide $20,000 in compensation to individuals affected by the lack of accessibility at The Tapestry.
"People who believe they may have experienced discrimination due to the inaccessible conditions at the above-named buildings developed by LETTIRE may contact the Civil Rights Complaint account at USANYS-CivilRights@usdoj.gov," the U.S. Attorney’s Office stated.