Couple sues Douglas Elliman after agent's 'Ugh. They are Black' text before a Flushing apartment showing

A couple who were relocating to New York has filed a housing discrimination lawsuit against Douglas Elliman Realty, one of its former agents and several people listed as owners of a Flushing rental, saying the agent sent them a text about their race before a showing, ABC7 reported.

What the couple says happened

Lisa Renee Olaso and her fiancé were moving from Delaware for a new job and arranged to see an apartment on 26th Avenue in Flushing in June, according to ABC7. They say the agent never met them in person and instead watched them from a distance.

As they got out of their car, Olaso said, she received a text that read: "Ugh. They are Black." She believes it was meant for the property owner. The couple got back in the car. When the agent looked at her phone, Olaso said, she explained that previous Black tenants in the neighborhood had caused trouble. Olaso said the agent apologized, but that it did not take away the pain. The agent tried to unsend the message, the couple told 1010 WINS, as cited by TheGrio. The couple has since moved to Commack on Long Island.

The lawsuit

The suit was filed in Queens and alleges violations of state and federal discrimination laws, TheGrio reported. The couple's attorney, Kenneth Mollins, argues the owner bears some responsibility. "We believe the homeowner was in some way responsible here," he told ABC7, saying the text made sense only if the recipient had some context for it. The couple says their motivation is not financial, TheGrio reported.

"Douglas Elliman has a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination of any kind, and the agent is no longer with the company," a company spokesperson said in a statement to ABC7 and NBC New York. The agent did not respond to NBC's request for comment, and ABC7 said it left messages for the homeowners and the broker. The allegations have not been tested in court.

If it happens to you

New York City's Human Rights Law bars landlords, owners and brokers from discriminating against renters based on race and other protected traits. You can file a report with the NYC Commission on Human Rights online. Save any texts, emails and listing screenshots, and write down dates and names as soon as possible.