Greystar Accused of Widespread Civil Rights Violations in Housing Complaints

Greystar, the largest owner and manager of apartments in the United States, is facing accusations of systematically violating fair housing laws. Civil rights complaints were filed this week with government agencies in California, Hawaii, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Virginia, and Washington D.C., alleging 114 violations of state and District of Columbia fair housing laws.

The complaints specifically accuse the company of refusing to accept federal housing choice vouchers, also known as Section 8, in locations where local laws mandate landlords accept them. Aaron Carr, executive director of the Housing Rights Initiative, stated that Greystar operates with "brazen contempt and hostility toward the rule of law."

The Housing Rights Initiative and the law firm Cohen Milstein submitted the complaints, supported by recordings of calls made by undercover testers posing as potential tenants with vouchers. According to the groups, Greystar staff at every tested building either refused vouchers or imposed unlawful conditions on their use.

In response, Greystar issued a statement asserting its commitment to fair housing practices and providing related staff training, without directly addressing the specifics of the complaints. As of December, Greystar managed over 1 million housing units across the U.S., with approximately 235,000 units located in the jurisdictions where the complaints were filed, according to data analyzed by the Private Equity Stakeholder Project.