The city’s Human Rights Commission is socking a former Brooklyn real-estate salesman with a $20,000 fine for posting an apartment ad seeking tenants with dual incomes and no kids — DINKs.
The 2011 Craigslist ad by former Fillmore Real Estate salesman Michael Jenkins for a one-bedroom on East 85th Street in Canarsie stated:
“A FAMILY SIZE OF 2 PEPOLE [sic] ONLY !!!!!!!!” and “WE MUST HAVE A WORKING COUPLE WITH 2 INCOMES.”
City investigators had two undercover staffers reach out to Jenkins, one of whom claimed to be a married tenant without kids, the other who said he planned to move in with his pregnant girlfriend.
Jenkins told the supposed father-to-be that “the owners preferred only two adults and that he was unsure about whether the owners would accept a couple who were expecting a child,” say Human Rights Commission documents.
That staffer was later told, falsely, that the apartment had already been rented.
Meanwhile, the other pretend tenant — who said she was married, earned $60,000 annually and did not have children — was offered an appointment to see the place, records show
Jenkins told The Post he refused to take part in the hearings because he was the victim of “entrapment” and was just relaying the landlord’s requirements. “That’s not discrimination from my point [of view]. I don’t control who gets an apartment and who doesn’t,” he said.
Jenkins pointed out that he worked on commission and would have been glad to rent to anyone.
He also said the city has no chance of collecting the fine, since he’s flat broke and stopped working as a real-estate salesman.
The fine was recommended by an administrative law judge and is expected to be formally adopted by the commission.
The owner of the apartment, Walcott Romain, was also tangled up in the charges at one point, but removed from the case.
Romain had argued that he had tenants with children and grandchildren — proving he didn’t discriminate — and couldn’t recall any contact with Jenkins.
Contacted by The Post, Romain fumed, “Who is the story going to benefit? You want to put a lie saying I refused to rent, which is untrue. Are you crazy or something?’’ Then he hung up.