New Jersey Landlord Accused of Discrimination: Black Mother Faces Rent Hike, Harassment, and Eviction While Feds Offer Lousy Settlement

A Black mother from New Jersey claims her white landlord engaged in discriminatory practices by levying significantly higher rent on her compared to white tenants in subsidized housing, while also imposing onerous lease conditions and intimidating her family. Brittany Doyle, 38, is currently pursuing a civil lawsuit representing herself after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) reached a settlement that failed to provide any financial compensation.Doyle and her three children have resided in a hotel since losing their Mount Arlington apartment in November 2022, following an intense legal struggle with landlord Juliet Payseur. Doyle asserts that Payseur's proposed rent hike for her two-bedroom unit from $1,309 to $2,000 was arbitrary, particularly as a similar tenant faced only a minor increase.Following persistent harassment and denial of reasonable lease terms, Doyle argues that Payseur eventually forced the family to vacate under false pretenses, leading her to seek accountability through a federal civil lawsuit. Doyle now faces significant financial strain, needing to balance multiple jobs while pursuing justice for her family.