A new study released today by Westchester Residential Opportunities (WRO) found that while inroads were made over the past six years, housing discrmination still exists in the lower Hudson Valley. 

In 2005, WRO says 46.5% of tests conducted found discrimination in rental housing in Westchester. In the current round of testing, the percentage was down to 17.54%. Discrimination in Rockland was 34.6% and it was 14.3 percent in Putnam County. 

The findings were released at a news conference hosted by Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino in White Plains.

The Town of Yorktown has been named in a federal lawsuit alleging its Section 8 housing voucher program violates civil rights laws by discriminating against African Americans and Latinos.

The Fair Housing Justice Center of NY (FHJC) alleges that Yorktown uses a seven-tiered preference system for issuing Section 8 housing vouchers which favors Yorktown residents and discourages many eligible African Americans and Latinos in Westchester County from even applying for the program.

The complaint names several Yorktown policies in the lawsuit and alleges the Town: