A lawsuit has been filed in the Southern District of New York by a New York City resident, identified as John Doe, accusing a shelter operator of severe misconduct and civil rights violations. The complaint, filed December 10, 2024, targets Housing Solutions of New York and two of its employees.
The case centers around an incident in November 2024 when John Doe, accompanied by a minor child, sought emergency shelter after a violent domestic dispute. Referred by the Human Resources Administration (HRA) to Housing Solutions of New York’s QV42 transitional family shelter, Doe was allegedly met with deceit and hostility.
The complaint accuses Jane Doe #1, an employee at the shelter, of falsely claiming no referral had been received for him while reporting to HRA that he failed to appear for assignment. When confronted about these discrepancies on November 15, Jane Doe #1 allegedly used derogatory language and threatened John Doe for filing a complaint with his case manager.
Despite Jane Doe #1’s assurances that his admission paperwork was complete, John Doe faced further obstruction when he returned to the shelter on November 16. He claims Jane Doe #1 denied him entry again, falsely accused him of trespassing in a police report, and escalated matters by accusing him of assault.
Although police found no evidence to support these claims, they were unable to compel shelter staff to allow him access. Attempts to seek help from another staff member, Jane Doe #2, were also unsuccessful as she reportedly refused to provide assistance or contact superiors.
John Doe’s lawsuit alleges multiple counts against Housing Solutions of New York and its employees: breach of contract for failing to provide promised services; negligence in supervision and training; false reporting leading to reputational damage; defamation through baseless accusations; intentional infliction of emotional distress; violation of due process rights under federal law; and casting him in a false light publicly.
In seeking justice, John Doe requests a declaratory judgment affirming violations of his civil rights, along with punitive damages totaling $800,000 to be distributed among the defendants. He stresses the need for accountability from Housing Solutions for fostering an environment where such misconduct could occur unchecked.
John Doe is representing himself pro se in this case. No attorneys are listed for either party. The case is identified under Case ID 1:25-cv-00022-CLP.