Civil Rights Settlement Addresses Home Ownership Loss in NYC’s Minority Communities

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) — In the late 1970s, Isabel Adon became a proud homeowner in a Bronx co-op, intending to pass this legacy to her children. Yet, she and other families on Nelson Avenue were shocked to find they had been stripped of their ownership status, reduced to renters overnight without any notification or financial compensation.

The city of New York conducted a third-party transfer in 2018, claiming many buildings were distressed and transferring their deeds to non-profits. Over the past thirty years, this process affected over 500 properties, predominantly located in minority neighborhoods, raising serious concerns about the legality of the actions. Following a federal lawsuit filed by attorneys Yolande Nicholson and Matthew L. Berman, the city has now proposed a $60 million settlement, though the plaintiffs express uncertainty about the program’s future.