Hudson Yards Quietly Instituted Banned 'Poor Door' Policy: Suit

NEW YORK CITY — The Giant Shawarma development has a poor door, three prospective tenants claim in a new suit.

Low-income tenants of 15 Hudson Yards were relegated to a separate section of the massive 11th Avenue development without access to certain luxury facilities, and with its own address, according to lawsuit filed in Manhattan’s federal court Thursday.

“Real estate developers have intentionally discriminated and segregated against low-income residents when it comes to affordable housing,” the suit claims.

“Nevertheless, what began as a ‘poor door’ has now evolved into the concept of a ‘poor building’, with separate ‘poor addresses’, and ‘poor floors.’”

Plaintiff Chanel Moody — a lower-income tenant who thought she'd won a home at 15 Hudson Yards through New York City’s affordable housing lottery — was surprised to discover her new address would be 553 W. 30th St., the suit claims.

As a West 30th Street resident, Moody was told she did not have access to the building's swimming pool, fitness center, screening room or roof deck, according to the suit.

Moody and two other tenants, Ayanda Carmichael and Ronnie Clark, added that affordable housing tenants were assigned separate laundry and playrooms, in violation of the Fair Housing Act and city human right laws.

Related Companies disputes the claims, noting while 15 Hudson Yards has two entrances with two addresses, both are accessible to all tenants and that both affordable and condo units are serviced by the same staff.

“This appears to be the case of a lawyer drawing up a frivolous lawsuit and seeking to chase a headline without any basis in actual fact,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

“While we do not comment on the specifics of lawsuits it appears that the claims that this lawyer is making are categorically false.”

New York City buildings that receive 421a tax breaks, granted to developments that provide 20 percent of new units at affordable rates, are not allowed to segregate low-income and market rate tenants, according to a new policy instated in 2015.

The city approved Related Companies' 421a status before the law was changed.

Correction: The original version of this story mistakenly named one of the plaintiffs as Ronnie Ayanda Carmichael. It was corrected on Aug. 10, 2022.