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Lawyers for Civil Rights urges Boston to fund testing, fast enforcement and impact litigation after suit dismissal
Summary
Jillian Lenson of Lawyers for Civil Rights described a 2024 suit against about 20 landlords for voucher discrimination that was dismissed on procedural grounds and urged the city to expand testing, raise penalties, and back litigation and tenant support.
Jillian Lenson, an attorney with Lawyers for Civil Rights, told the council that local testing and legal work have repeatedly documented ‘‘explicit illegal action’’ by landlords and brokers that discourages voucher holders from competing for housing.
Lenson said a case filed in 2024 targeted about 20 Boston-area landlords and real-estate brokers for voucher discrimination, but ‘‘unfortunately, this case was dismissed on a procedural motion.’’ She recommended the city prioritize training and public education for housing providers, fast-acting enforcement mechanisms, higher penalties for repeat offenders, and municipal support for impact litigation, including funding to intervene or to file amicus briefs.
Lenson also pointed council members to a recent multistate administrative action against Greystar LLC and suggested the city support families at risk of losing subsidies by widening program flexibilities and investing in staff to provide immediate advocacy.
