Dec. 29, 2010 at 2:17 p.m.
Filed under:
Housing,
Investigations,
Real estate
By Mary Ellen Podmolik
The home that the Willborns wanted to buy at 3300 S. Normal Ave. in Bridgeport. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
The Bridgeport couple accused of violating fair housing laws in the failed sale of their million-dollar home are refuting Justice Department charges that they refused to sell it to an African-American family.
In separate responses filed this month with U.S. District Court in Chicago, Daniel and Adrienne Sabbia deny that they engaged in discriminatory housing practices in their dealings with George and Peytyn Willborn, who made several offers to purchase the Sabbia’s sprawling Bridgeport home.
The Sabbias also deny that Daniel Sabbia told listing agent Jeffrey Lowe that Sabbia would prefer not to sell the home to an African-American but that he didn’t care who bought it if the price was right, and deny that Lowe forwarded a sales contract to the Sabbias for signature. Get the full story »
Sep. 20, 2010 at 4:31 p.m.
Filed under:
Housing,
Litigation,
Real estate,
Updated
By Mary Ellen Podmolik
Radio personality and comedian George Willborn arriving at a press conference to talk about the discrimination suit on Aug. 26, 2010. (Heather Charles/Chicago Tribune)
The federal government filed a civil lawsuit Monday against a couple living in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood and their real estate agent, for allegedly refusing to sell their home to an African-American family.
The filing, made in U.S. District Court in Chicago, names as defendants Daniel and Adrienne Sabbia; their real estate agent, Jeffrey Lowe; and Midwest Realty Ventures, which does business as Prudential Rubloff Properties.
The lawsuit was expected. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development originally filed a federal housing discrimination complaint last month against the parties after it determined that Chicago radio personality George Willborn’s failed efforts to buy the Sabbias’ home was the result of housing discrimination. The case was moved to the Justice Department in late August. Get the full story »
Aug. 26, 2010 at 3:28 p.m.
Filed under:
Housing,
Litigation,
Real estate,
Updated
By Mary Ellen Podmolik
George Wilborn at the Dirksen court house this morning. (William DeShazer/Tribune)
The U.S. Justice Department is taking over the case of Chicago radio personality George Willborn, who allegedly was the victim of racial discrimination because of his family’s failed efforts to buy a home in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development filed a federal housing discrimination complaint this month against Bridgeport homeowners Daniel and Adrienne Sabbia, Prudential Rubloff Properties and real estate agent Jeffrey Lowe. HUD said they violated the Fair Housing Act when the Sabbias backed out of a verbal agreement to sell the $1.799 million home to the Willborns, who are African-American.
The matter could have been handled as an administrative case by HUD or in the federal court system by the Justice Department. The Willborns elected to transfer the matter to federal court, which means the Justice Department has, by statute, 30 days to file a case. The transfer to the federal court system means the Willborns could be eligible to receive punitive damages as well as compensatory damages from a jury. Get the full story »
Aug. 10, 2010 at 2:02 p.m.
Filed under:
Government,
Housing,
Litigation,
Real estate
By Mary Ellen Podmolik
Comedian George Willborn (Tribune file)
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has filed a charge of housing discrimination against a Bridgeport family and a prominent realty firm for refusing to sell a million-dollar-plus home to local comedian and radio personality George Willborn and his family.
HUD alleges that Daniel and Adrienne Sabbia and their real estate agent, Jeffrey Lowe of Prudential Rubloff Properties, violated the Fair Housing Act when they discriminated against Willborn, his wife, Peytyn and their family for not following through with the sale of an amenity-filled 8,000-square-foot home at 3300 S. Normal Ave. in the Bridgeport neighborhood. Get the full story »
