An audit by the state of New York released Tuesday found the state’s Division of Human Rights (DHR) failed to investigate numerous housing discrimination complaints. The audit stated that the failure to investigate was due to “poor management” at the agency, with complaints regularly lost or left unprocessed.

Key findings of the audit showed DHR initially failed to account for 68 percent of sampled complaints. Additionally, of complaints located by the agency, nearly half took longer than 30 days to receive a response, and 69 percent waited over 100 days for an resolution. In cases where complaints were closed following a DHR investigation, 70 percent did not include evidence that appropriate regulations were followed.

The New York State Comptroller, in charge of auditing state agencies, stated the failures breached agency procedures. Specifically, Section 297(2)(b) requires DHR to initiate an investigation within 30 days of a complaint and notify the respondent of the outcome of the investigation within 100 days.

To correct the issues at DHR, the Comptroller’s Office recommended three actions. First, it should establish “adequate internal controls.” This would include the development of “comprehensive written procedures” and the institution of strict control on tracking time and efforts expended on cases. Second, the Comptroller recommended that officials improve oversight of time management procedures and investigatory processes. Third, the agency should institute a processing system that ensures all complains are investigated in the order in which they were received.

The acting commissioner of DHR, Denise Miranda, thanked the Comptroller’s office for the audit’s “insights and professionalism.” However, she defended the agency’s work by highlighting that that audit occurred from 2019-2024, including years during COVID-19.

DHR was created to enforce the state’s human rights law. The mission of the agency is to ensure that “every individual…has an equal opportunity to participate fully in the economic, cultural and intellectual life of the State.”

Numerous US states and Canadian provinces are experiencing housing crises as housing costs and economic inequality increase.