Landlord ordered to pay $8k in discrimination case

A Suffolk Superior Court Jury has returned a verdict against a Dorchester landlord in a housing discrimination case, the office of Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley said.

In a press release, Coakley's office said that Hakim DeFreitas was ordered to pay $8,200 in restitution for discriminating against a prospective tenant who would have used a Section 8 housing voucher to pay her rent.

A complaint filed in 2007 alleged that DeFreitas screened out applicants with Section 8 vouchers when he tried to find a tenant to rent a home he owned in Dorchester. Under Massachusetts law, it is illegal to discriminate against housing applicants because they receive public assistance, such as assistance through the Section 8 program, Coakley's office said.

The office's press release, which noted the importance of Section 8 assistance during a recession, included a statement from Coakley.

“The Section 8 program provides invaluable assistance to thousands of low income tenants in Massachusetts,” Coakley said in part. “Landlords in Massachusetts should understand that discrimination against prospective tenants that receive public assistance is against the law and will not be tolerated.”
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)