New Rochelle woman says being a domestic abuse survivor making it harder to get apartment in area

A New Rochelle woman says being a domestic abuse survivor is making it harder for her to get an apartment in New Rochelle.

News 12 Staff

Sep 23, 2022, 9:39 PM

Updated 743 days ago

Share:

A New Rochelle woman says being a domestic abuse survivor is making it harder for her to get an apartment in New Rochelle.
Renee Campbell says she applied to an apartment complex at 333 Huguenot St. in New Rochelle over the summer. 
Campbell won the lottery, meaning she would be able to live in one of the affordable housing units at 3THIRTY3.
"These apartments are guaranteed for people who won the lottery. She said it clearly - you're guaranteed these apartments," says Campbell.
She submitted everything the leasing office asked of her.
"Then they came back, and they said it was based on my credit history, like it kept changing. The story kept changing," she says. 
Campbell is a survivor of domestic violence.
"The person who assaulted me...and did some really terrible, horrible things...my credit became ruined because of him," she says. 
Susan Ritterman, from Westchester Residential Opportunities, has been helping her and urging the apartment to accept an alternative way to show credit worthiness.
"What better way to show that you can pay your rent than a history that you can pay your rent, I presented that to them, and they said we have to treat everyone exactly the same," says Ritterman.
Legislation was proposed last year that would have prohibited anyone from being refused housing accommodations based on credit history, but it did not pass.
Despite setbacks, Campbell is not giving up and says she hopes to one day live in the apartment of her dreams.
News 12 reached out to 3THIRTY3 Apartments and Cushman & Wakefield, the company that owns the apartment complex for comment, but has not heard back.