The Aporia · 'Ugh. They are Black': NYC broker typed text for property owners, mistakenly sent to the couple hunting for apartments

Lisa Renee Olaso and her fiancée Cyril Christopher filed a lawsuit against Douglas Elliman Realty, a real estate brokerage company, an agent named Tzelios, and several property owners after they were allegedly racially discriminated against while trying to rent an apartment. The couple received a text message from the broker meant for the property owner that read, "Ugh. They are Black." Despite the broker's apology and explanation about previous issues with black tenants in the neighborhood, Olaso felt the incident deeply affected her. Their attorney claims this is not an isolated incident and includes everyone involved in the lawsuit. Douglas Elliman issued a statement saying they have a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination and that the agent is no longer with the company.

Written by AI on 2026-10-23, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

Story summary

A Lisa Renee Olaso and her fiancé Cyril Christopher, who had moved to New York City from Delaware in June, filed a lawsuit against Douglas Elliman Realty and the broker involved after experiencing racial discrimination while trying to rent an apartment in Queens. The couple was targeted by a message intended for property owners but mistakenly sent to them as well, which read: "Ugh. They are Black." This incident occurred when they were on their way to view an apartment in Flushing with a Douglas Elliman broker who did not meet them in person and only saw them from a distance. The couple has since taken legal action against the real estate company and the individual involved, identified as Helen Tzelios. In response, a spokesperson for Douglas Elliman stated that they have a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination of any kind and confirmed that the broker is no longer with the company.

Written for “Racist Text Message Controversy” on 2026-11-05, grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.

📰 Racist Text Message Controversy

Politics · 2 article(s) covering the same event. See how they differ ↓

This article reads unscored and hedges 5% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

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A couple has filed a lawsuit against a real estate brokerage company, an agent and several property owners after they said they were racially discriminated against when they were seeking to rent an apartment in Queens. asserted

they → file → Queens

A message that was meant to be sent only to the owners, cautioning them that the couple was Black was also sent to them by mistake, they claimed. asserted

they → mean → mistake

According to Eyewitness News ABC7NY, Lisa Renee Olaso and her fiancée, Cyril Christopher, said they were excited to move to 26th Avenue in Flushing in June after relocating from Delaware because Olaso had a new job. uncertain

Olaso → accord → job

They said a broker from Douglas Elliman was scheduled to meet them to show them a rental apartment. asserted

broker → say → apartment

The broker did not meet them in person and only saw from a distance. asserted

broker → meet → distance

Olaso said she was accidentally included on a text message intended for the property owner. asserted

she → say → owner

"As we were getting out of the car, I received the text message that said, 'Ugh. asserted

that → get → message

They are Black,'" Olaso said. asserted

Olaso → say → ?

The broker tried to control the damage and said there were previous episodes with Black tenants. asserted

broker → try → tenants

"When she looked at her phone, she started to explain that there were previous, Black tenants in the neighborhood and that they had caused a lot of trouble," Olaso said. asserted

Olaso → look → trouble

Olaso said the broker apologized, but the incident continues to affect her. asserted

incident → say → her

The couple is suing Douglas Elliman Realty, Tzelios and several people listed as owners of the property. asserted

couple → sue → property

Their attorney Kenneth Mollins said the text message did not occur in isolation and so they included everyonein their lawsuit. asserted

they → say → lawsuit

"Unless the person receiving the text gets it in some context to know, why she's sending that. asserted

she → receive → that

So, we believe the homeowner was in some way responsible here," Mollins said. asserted

Mollins → believe → way

In a statement provided Wednesday, 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." "It's like judging a book by its cover. asserted

It → provide → cover

You haven't even read the book, and you already made a judgement call," Christopher said. asserted

Christopher → read → call

Olaso said an apology from the broker did not ease the pain caused by the racial profiling. asserted

apology → say → profiling

"It doesn’t change the pain. asserted

"It → change → pain

It doesn’t take away the pain you caused us that day," Olaso said. asserted

Olaso → take → us

'Ugh. They are Black': NYC broker typed text for property owners, mistakenly sent to the couple hunting for apartments

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