Fair Housing for All

Margo Borkin, an Associate Broker with the Real Estate One office in Farmington Hills, Michigan, faced this problem in the summer of 2007.

Ms. Borkin was helping an African-American family look for a home to purchase in Livonia, a nearby community.  Livonia, which has been called "the whitest city in America" (97% white in a city of more than 100,000 people) has been the site of numerous fair housing litigations.

While showing a home, she found a handwritten note that read: "You sell to those Niggers and you'll regret it!  You move to an all white area and dump those coon on us, we'll track you down.  Don't betray us."

Instead of destroying the note, or attempting to steer the family to another neighborhood, Ms. Borkin chose to do the right thing. She informed her office manager who in turn informed counsel.   Subsequently, the incident was reported to John Obee, a Cooperating Attorney with the Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit.

In view of the threats, the FBI was also contacted.  The FBI investigation revealed that the author of the note had made similar threats to other agents and African American families.  He was charged with three counts of violating 42 U.S.C. § 3631.

The defendant ultimately pled guilty, and was sentenced to one year and a day imprisonment.

None of this would have been possible had it not been for the actions of Ms. Borkin, and the support she received.

The African-American families who were victimized by the threats have moved into Livonia.

[Thanks to Michael Olshan, Legal Services Coordination for the Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit for bringing this story to our attention.]