Post by High Priestess on Oct 13, 2016 1:06:25 GMT
Two women are suing Riverhead Town, New York over an STR ban -- they are suing for $5 million in damages!
riverheadnewsreview.timesreview.com/2016/09/76264/riverhead-town-sued-over-short-term-rental-ban/
The women's complaint is unique -- they say the STR ban is a violation of the Fair Housing Act!!
Riverhead Town’s three-year old law which prohibits rentals of less than 30 days is being challenged by two Wading River women who are seeking more than $5 million in damages, according to a complaint filed in federal court Tuesday.
Virginia Greico and Debbie Neihoff of Oak Street in Wading River, owners of www.luxurybeachfrontgetaway.com, filed the suit against Riverhead Town, claiming its short-term rental ban is a violation of the federal Fair Housing Act, which makes its unlawful to deny a dwelling to any person because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status or national origin.
The attorney in the case, Salem Katsh of Orient, also represents clients who brought a lawsuit in State Supreme Court challenging Southold Town’s short-term rental ban of less than 14 nights on the basis that some short-term rentals existed before the town ban and should thus be “grandfathered.”
Mr. Katsh said this latest short-term rental lawsuit is “based on the fact that families with children are effectively precluded from vacationing in Riverhead.”
“A family vacation is not possible in the normal lodgings of as hotel, motel, B&B for a family with kids and maybe a dog,” he said. “So their only alternative in a vast majority of cases is a short-term rental. When those are made unavailable for less than 29 days, families with children are prejudiced.”
riverheadnewsreview.timesreview.com/2016/09/76264/riverhead-town-sued-over-short-term-rental-ban/
The women's complaint is unique -- they say the STR ban is a violation of the Fair Housing Act!!
Riverhead Town’s three-year old law which prohibits rentals of less than 30 days is being challenged by two Wading River women who are seeking more than $5 million in damages, according to a complaint filed in federal court Tuesday.
Virginia Greico and Debbie Neihoff of Oak Street in Wading River, owners of www.luxurybeachfrontgetaway.com, filed the suit against Riverhead Town, claiming its short-term rental ban is a violation of the federal Fair Housing Act, which makes its unlawful to deny a dwelling to any person because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status or national origin.
The attorney in the case, Salem Katsh of Orient, also represents clients who brought a lawsuit in State Supreme Court challenging Southold Town’s short-term rental ban of less than 14 nights on the basis that some short-term rentals existed before the town ban and should thus be “grandfathered.”
Mr. Katsh said this latest short-term rental lawsuit is “based on the fact that families with children are effectively precluded from vacationing in Riverhead.”
“A family vacation is not possible in the normal lodgings of as hotel, motel, B&B for a family with kids and maybe a dog,” he said. “So their only alternative in a vast majority of cases is a short-term rental. When those are made unavailable for less than 29 days, families with children are prejudiced.”