A Long Island, New York couple has filed a lawsuit with allegations that federal discrimination laws were violated in their search for a new apartment in Queens.
As reported by 1010 Wins, Lisa Renee Olaso claims she and her fiancé were searching for an apartment in Queens when they received a text message from a real estate agent that said, “ugh they are Black.” The agent, allegedly intending to text the owner, attempted to unsend the troubling message, yet the couple had already received it as they exited and promptly returned to their vehicle.
“For me, this hit really, really deep because it was unnecessary,” Olaso shared emotionally. “We started to get back in our car, and the agent ran over, and she was like, ‘What are you guys doing?’ and I said, ‘Well, look at your phone’. And when she looked at her phone, she started to explain that there were previous Black tenants in the neighborhood and they had caused a lot of trouble. And I said, ‘Well, what does that have to do with us?’”
Olaso and her spouse have since moved to Commack, New York. According to the report, the couple’s attorney, Kenneth Mollins, says the company, Douglas Elliman, has fired the real estate agent who allegedly sent the text message. Although the agent apologized, it did not lessen the magnitude of the entire ordeal. The couple says their motivation for legal action is not financial. The lawsuit was filed in Queens and claims the company made violations of both state and federal discrimination laws.
“It doesn’t take away people who on social media had to read that and see that we’re still having to deal with this unnecessary discrimination, prejudice and racism in 2026,” she said.
A public statement regarding the lawsuit from Douglas Elliman has not yet been shared.
