Long Island Group With Nazi Past Settles Discrimination Case
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By Josh Nathan-Kazis May 18, 2017
Ninety years ago, the small hamlet of Yaphank in Long Island was a Nazi enclave in New York state, with a nearby pro-Nazi summer camp and rules restricting home ownership to Germans.
Shockingly, those home ownership rules remained officially in place until this week, when New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman reached a settlement with the non-profit that owns the homes there, called the German American Settlement League.
“The GASL’s discriminatory practices were a remnant of a disgraceful past that has no place in New York or anywhere,” Schneiderman said in a statement. “This agreement will once and for all put an end to the GASL’s discrimination, ensuring that all New Yorkers are afforded equal access to housing opportunities — regardless of their race or national origin.”
Under the terms of the settlement, the GASL will be barred from discriminating on the basis of race or national origin. It will also be forced to reform its structures and replace its leadership.
Contact Josh Nathan-Kazis at nathankazis@forward.com or on Twitter, @joshnathankazis.
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