On behalf of the City of Poughkeepsie and two Black women who live there, Wang Hecker LLP filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Dutchess County and County Executive Sue Serino. The legal action follows the County’s abrupt withdrawal from a joint plan to combat homelessness, at which time the County unilaterally imposed the requirement that an emergency shelter be placed at 26 Oakley Street in the Fifth Ward. For decades, the City of Poughkeepsie has been targeted with policies and practices that have resulted in harmful, extensive racial segregation. and the City continues to undertake a disproportionate responsibility for hosting shelters and social services within County. This lawsuit seeks an injunction to stop Dutchess County from proceeding with its plan to unilaterally place the emergency shelter at 26 Oakley Street, which would violate federal and state fair housing laws by furthering racial segregation and discriminating against residents of the City.
