Black Couple Sues NYC Broker After 'Ugh They Are Black' Text Meant for Landlord Lands on Their Phone Instead

A Black couple have sued one of New York's biggest estate agencies after receiving a text that read 'Ugh. They are Black' from a broker who was supposed to be showing them a rental flat in Queens.

Lisa Renee Olaso and her fiancé, Cyril Christopher, say the message was meant for the property owner and arrived just as they stepped out of their car to view the home. They have filed a lawsuit in Queens against Douglas Elliman Realty, the agent and the property owners, alleging violations of state and federal anti-discrimination laws.

Douglas Elliman says it has a 'zero-tolerance policy' on discrimination and that the agent no longer works for the company.

'Ugh. They Are Black'

Olaso and Christopher were relocating from Delaware after Olaso took a new job, and were excited to move into a rental on 26th Avenue in Flushing in June, ABC7 New York reported. A broker from Douglas Elliman was due to meet them to show them the apartment.

According to the couple, the broker never met them in person and instead watched them from a distance. Olaso said she was accidentally included on a text message intended for the property owner.

'As we were getting out of the car, I received the text message that said, "Ugh. They are Black,"' Olaso said.

When Olaso confronted the agent, the agent tried to unsend the message but was unable to, 1010 WINS reported.

The couple had driven up from Delaware specifically to view the flat. Olaso said she immediately told Christopher to get back in the car. 'When she looked at her phone, she started to explain that there were previous, Black tenants in the neighbourhood and that they had caused a lot of trouble,' she said of the broker.

Christopher said the experience was painful. 'It's like judging a book by its cover. You haven't even read the book, and you already made a judgement call,' he said.

Lawsuit Targets Brokerage, Agent and Owners

The couple are suing Douglas Elliman Realty, the agent identified in the lawsuit as Tzelios, and several people listed as owners of the property. According to the lawsuit, the agent texted the couple instead of the owner of the Flushing apartment, 1010 WINS reported.

The lawsuit, filed in Queens, alleges violations of state and federal discrimination laws. The reports reviewed did not specify the damages or other remedies sought.

Their lawyer, Kenneth Mollins, argued that the message's context raised questions about whether the property owners were involved. 'Unless the person receiving the text gets it in some context to know, why she's sending that. So, we believe the homeowner was in some way responsible here,' he said.

Mollins said Douglas Elliman had fired the agent. In a statement provided on Wednesday 21 October 2026, a Douglas Elliman spokesperson said: 'Douglas Elliman has a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination of any kind, and the agent is no longer with the company.'

Messages were left for the homeowners and the broker, and the agent was contacted for comment but had not responded. The owners' position was not included in the reports reviewed.

The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits racial discrimination in housing, including discriminatory rental practices and statements. New York State and New York City also have laws prohibiting housing discrimination. The claims in the lawsuit are allegations.

'It Doesn't Change the Pain'

Olaso said the agent apologised. 'I appreciate that, but it doesn't change the pain,' she said. 'It doesn't take away people who on social media had to read that and see that we're still having to deal with this unnecessary discrimination, prejudice and racism in 2026.'

'It doesn't take away the pain that you caused us that day,' she said. 'For me, this hit really, really deep because it was unnecessary,' Olaso said.

The couple have said they are not looking for money but want their story told, and that their motivation is to stop others going through the same experience.

'We Don't Want Anyone Else To Feel This'

'This is why I wanted to talk to an attorney to just see if there is any way to avoid anyone feeling the way I feel right now and the way that I felt when that took place,' Olaso said. The couple have since found a home in Commack, on Long Island.

The viewing took place in June, but the case became public this week, between 21 and 22 October 2026, about four months after the text was sent. The Douglas Elliman statement did not address the specific allegations in the lawsuit.