KENNETH M. KARAS, District Judge:
Pro se plaintiff Thomas Logan ("Plaintiff") brings the instant lawsuit alleging various causes of action against defendants Irina Matveevskii ("Matveevskii"), Tuckahoe Housing Authority ("THA"), Tuckahoe Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, Mark Kamensky ("Kamensky"), and Jeff Zuckerman ("Zuckerman") (collectively, "Defendants").
The following facts are taken from Plaintiff's Third Amended Complaint and, for purposes of this Motion, are accepted as true. Plaintiff currently resides at 31 Midland Place, Apartment 3D, in Tuckahoe, New York. (Third Am. Compl. ("TAC") ¶ 1 (Dkt. No. 104).) The THA, which was incorporated in 1938 as a not-for-profit public corporation, and is charged with providing affordable housing for low-income families, owns and operates a four-building complex called Sanford Gardens, as well as a single-building complex called Jefferson Gardens. (Id, at unnumbered 1 ¶ 2.) In addition, THA administers 175 Section 8 housing choice vouchers, and receives funding under the "capital fund" program. (Id., at unnumbered 1 ¶ 2.)
According to Plaintiff, on March 27, 1996, Plaintiff made a written request for a larger apartment to the THA's then-acting Executive Director. (See id., at unnumbered 2 ¶ 5.) The THA responded that Plaintiff's family composition did not warrant a two-bedroom unit like the one that he currently lived in, but that he would be relocated to the first one-bedroom unit to accommodate his family status. (Id.) Roughly a year and a half later, on October 30, 1997, Plaintiff received a letter from the Social Security Administration indicating that he was disabled. (Id., at unnumbered 2 ¶ 6.)
Additionally, on approximately June 19, 2008, according to Plaintiff, the THA was reported to Department of Housing and Urban Development ("HUD") for non-compliance for failing to adequately administer
On or about August 7, 2008, Plaintiff emailed Matveevskii, "describing [his] needs and concerns" as a disabled tenant with a heart condition and a third-floor apartment, to ask for a "reasonable accommodation" for a first-floor apartment at either 31 Midland Place or 25 Midland Place. (Id., at unnumbered 2 ¶ 8.) Plaintiff's request allegedly went "unanswered and ignored." (Id.)
On or about March 3, 2010, Plaintiff received a letter from the THA indicating that his rent would be increased from $473 to $527. (Id., at unnumbered 3 ¶ 9.) Around the same time, Plaintiff "requested reasonable accommodations under the Fair Housing Act" to be moved to a lower floor apartment at either 31 Midland Place or 25 Midland Place. (Id., at unnumbered 3 ¶ 10.) Additionally, Plaintiff requested a formal hearing to "discuss the delay in providing his reasonable accommodation request," (id.), a request apparently acknowledged on July 30, 2014, (see id., at unnumbered 7 ¶ 32).
On approximately May 12, 2010, Plaintiff learned that the certified letters he sent to the "Board of [D]irectors" had "never [been] forwarded to them," despite having signed receipts indicating they were delivered. (Id., at unnumbered 3 ¶ 12.) Accordingly, as apparently described in a police report, he "slapped ... down" the letters on the table, and Matveevskii, concerned for her safety, called the Tuckahoe Police Department, which was dispatched to 4 Union Place as a result. (See id. (internal quotation marks omitted).)
Throughout the coming months, Plaintiff's submissions relating to his desire to be relocated to a new apartment continued: On October 25, 2010, Plaintiff's orthopedic doctor, Dr. Rozbruch, sent a letter to the THA requesting a "reasonable accommodation," which was allegedly ignored. (Id., at unnumbered 3 ¶ 13 (internal quotation marks omitted).) On approximately December 2, 2010, Plaintiff filed a complaint against Matveevskii and the THA. (Id., at unnumbered 4 ¶ 14.) On April 2, 2011, Plaintiff "requested a FOIA to the
On approximately July 14, 2011, the THA proposed two offers of what it felt would be "an appropriate accommodation to show a 'good faith' offer for a `reasonable accommodation,'" but which were inappropriate as "the unit locations [would] place [Plaintiff's] disabled mother and [Plaintiff] in further physical harm," and, as a result, Plaintiff declined the offers based on concern for their physical safety. (Id., at unnumbered 5 ¶ 18.) That request was followed up by a "fraudulent offer" for a unit in 31 Midland Place that was not available for immediate occupancy. (Id., at unnumbered 5 ¶ 19.)
On approximately May 10, 2011, Defendants allegedly reported Plaintiff to the "Department of Housing," indicating that "Plaintiff was housing a pedophile." (Id., at unnumbered 4 ¶ 16.) As a result, three HUD officers entered Plaintiff's apartment "on the pretense that a pedophile had been living at [his] address for the past 15 years." (Id.) Plaintiff gave the officers — who had their guns drawn — permission to search the apartment, and the officers showed Plaintiff and his mother a picture of the person for whom they were looking. (Id.) Neither Plaintiff nor his mother recognized the person. (Id.) After the officers finished their search, Plaintiff asked how they came to believe that a pedophile was living at the address. (Id.) The officers told Plaintiff that someone had called the HUD office from the THA and informed them so. (Id.) Plaintiff also called Chief Constanza at the Tuckahoe Police Department, who confirmed for Plaintiff that the call came from the THA. (Id.) At the time the call was placed, Plaintiff and Matveevskii were "in a law[ ]suit ... with the Human Rights Commissioner of Westchester ... regarding violations of Tenants rights." (Id.)
Approximately a week later, on or about May 18, 2011, Zuckerman, the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners for the THA, wrote a letter to Plaintiff's sister, the substance of which seemed to be that Zuckerman was pressured by others to seek her resignation from some organization affiliated with the THA in light of the perception that Plaintiff's family had been "stealing extraordinary sums of money."
On November 4, 2011, THA, or its representatives, "terminated [Plaintiff's] lease without 'good cause,'" and, the same day, refused a request that Plaintiff's brother, John Gunther, be permitted to reside in Plaintiff's apartment to look after John Gunther's 83-year-old disabled mother,
In spring 2012, Plaintiff apparently corresponded with Defendants' counsel about his housing options. On or about April 3, 2012, Plaintiff sent a letter to Defendants' attorney, Mr. Leo ("Leo"), requesting a copy of the "breakdown of his rent calculations" and to be issued a new lease. (Id., at unnumbered 6 ¶ 24.) Around that same time, Leo sent Plaintiff an offer for the unit at 31 Midland Place, Apt. 1D, and Leo further "advised [Plaintiff] that the Unit at 31 Midland Place Apt. 1D was not the `apartment for me,'" going on to say that the "'1' floor apartment in building 31 Midland Place" was neither handicap accessible nor compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA"). (Id., at unnumbered 6 ¶ 25.) In order to take possession of the unit, Plaintiff would have to waive his rights to a handicap accessible/ADA compliant apartment, and further assent to the unit's continued noncompliance. (Id.) Leo then presented Plaintiff with a new lease containing those provisions, and, about one month later, Defendants' lawyer sent Plaintiff, John Gunther, and Anne Gunther a letter regarding signing the lease. (See id., at unnumbered 6 ¶¶ 25-26.)
Additionally, sometime around approximately September 11, 2013, Plaintiff received a letter from Defendants' lawyer, Kamensky, accusing Plaintiff of loud, abusive, and aggressive behavior when asking someone named Ms. Jones ("Jones") questions about his rent several days earlier. (Id., at unnumbered 6 ¶ 27.) The letter further indicated that Matveevskii and Jones "felt threatened by [Plaintiff's] behavior" and called the police. (Id.) The letter warned Plaintiff that if this sort of behavior continued, it would result in the termination of Plaintiff's lease. (Id.)
In addition to these disputes, Plaintiff and Defendants also found themselves in various legal entanglements: On January 29, 2014, Matveevskii submitted an affidavit in support of a Motion to Dismiss, which stated that Matveevskii provided a "true and accurate copy of documentation showing Plaintiff's annual rent calculations for years 2009, 2010, 2011 along with a copy of the Public Housing lease Agreement, [d]ated February 18, 2009," but which, allegedly, was in fact "invalid" "documentation" that "d[id] not correspond to the years in question" or "follow the guidelines esta published [sic] by HUD and the Fair Housing Act." (Id., at unnumbered 6 ¶ 29.) On or about April 25, 2014, Plaintiff submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to, among others, the THA for a copy of his rental budget and computations dating back to 2009. (See id., at unnumbered 6-7 ¶ 28.)
On approximately June 18, 2014, Plaintiff received notice signed by Matveevskii that his lease was terminated, because he apparently had not "provid[ed] re-certification within the allotted time." (Id., at unnumbered 7 ¶ 30.) On July 8, 2014, Defendants "replied with acknowledgment and receipt for recertification," but indicated that they would not take Plaintiff's medical expenses into account when recertifying his rent. (See id., at unnumbered 7 ¶ 31.)
In his Third Amended Complaint, Plaintiff also posits a number of other wrongs that Defendants allegedly committed. First, he claims that the THA violated the Architectural Barriers Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 4151-57. (Id., at unnumbered 8 ¶ 3.) Additionally, as noted, Plaintiff asserts that the THA was reported to HUD in the summer of 2008 for noncompliance with § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and regulations promulgated thereunder, including "24 [C.F.R.] Part 8" and 24 C.F.R. § 960.206(b)(2). (Id., at unnumbered 9 ¶ 4.) In addition, Plaintiff alleges that the THA discriminates against the disabled in that (1) it does not have an appropriate number of handicap-accessible units, (2) the Policy of the THA does not accommodate disabled tenants, (3) there is a continued practice to deny requests for reasonable accommodations "[o]ver applicants who[ ] are working, non-disabled[,] or elderly," and, with respect to Plaintiff specifically, and (4) by "refusing to provide `reasonable accommodations' that were requested in March of 1997 and on several other occasions following the initial request." (Id., at unnumbered 9 ¶¶ 5-6.) Plaintiff also alleges that Defendants "[i]mproper[ly] execut[ed]... the [r]ental [a]greement," in that the lease "stated ... that if a reasonable accommodation is needed ... [t]he THA has the right to make changes in the utilization of the currently rented units to make changes to accommodate the needs of a disabled tenant." (Id., at unnumbered 9-10 ¶ 8.) Similarly, by "prolong[ing] providing... the `reasonable accommodations,'" Defendants allegedly "[i]ntentionally plac[ed] [Plaintiff's] family in physical harm on a daily basis," as exemplified by the fact that Plaintiff twice fell down the stairs. (Id., at unnumbered 10 ¶ 9.) Plaintiff similarly accuses the Defendants of "[d]elay and refusal to provide reasonable accommodations," citing 42 U.S.C. § 3604(f)(3), a provision of the Fair Housing Act clarifying the scope of discrimination within the Act's provisions concerning persons with disabilities. (Id., at unnumbered 10 ¶ 10.)
Additionally, Plaintiff alleges that (1) Matveevskii "[d]iscriminat[ed] against a black family" by saying that Plaintiff "had a `gang' coming after her ... in a public meeting whereby [sic] she called 911 to come investigate," when, in fact, "[t]here was no gang but a gathering of tenants for the monthly tenants meeting." (Id., at unnumbered 9 ¶ 7.)
Somewhat duplicatively, Plaintiff alleges "[h]arassments/[r]etaliation against [Plaintiff] due to [his] having filed a complaint with the Dept. of HUD" for (a) "noncompliance
Additionally, Plaintiff alleges that Defendants are responsible for the "[i]ntentional [i]nfliction of undue emotional distress," inasmuch as they "created a state of depression in [Plaintiff's] mother that eventually le[ ]d to her untimely death," and "also placed an increased stress[ ] load on [Plaintiff]," through "continued attacks against [Plaintiff's] family, bringing to court over rent [sic], writing letters accusing [Plaintiff's] family of stealing from the THA, and continually calling the police." (Id., at unnumbered 12-13 ¶ 15.)
Plaintiff also imputes a variety of other "improper" actions to Defendants. First, he says, Defendants, in a number of respects, "[i]ntentional[ly] [i]mproper[ly] calculate[ed] ... [his] rent," including by refusing Plaintiff copies of all his rent receipts and his signed 50059 Lease Change forms showing year-to-year changes in rent, "mandated by DCHR, HUD, and the Fair Housing act," and also by refusing to accept medical deductions in calculating his rent, which "can be construed as trying to de-regulate the THA rental housing programs." (Id., at unnumbered 11 ¶ 12.) Second, in a set of allegations he categorizes as "[i]mproper use of services," Plaintiff says Defendants "t[ook] him to court for an improper eviction 4 times," "utilize[ed] the Tuckahoe police department for unwarranted reasons," including when Matveevskii called 911 to say that Plaintiff was "threatening and scaring her," and by reporting Plaintiff's family to "the Department of HUD Homeland security" and to the "Elder Abuse Hotline." (Id., at unnumbered 12 ¶ 13.) Next, Plaintiff accuses Defendants of "[i]mproper[ly] handling ... [his] private and personal information," including through "sale of personal information that was to be safe[ ]guarded under the Rights to Privacy within the boundaries of the Fair Housing Act." (Id., at unnumbered 12 ¶ 14.) Additionally, Plaintiff accuses Defendants of "[i]nterference of [his] rights as a tenant to have equal enjoyment." (Id., at unnumbered 13 ¶ 16.) Finally, Plaintiff alleges "[d]iscrimination with regards to family status," in that Defendants attempted to remove Anne Gunther from 31 Midland Place by calling Adult Protective Services with the complaint that she could not care for herself. (Id., at unnumbered 14 ¶ 17.)
At the end of his TAC, Plaintiff breaks out separately a one-item list of his counts, comprising a single count of negligence. As Plaintiff alleges therein:
(Id., at unnumbered 14.)
Plaintiff filed a Complaint on December 2, 2010, in which he named Matveevskii and THA as Defendants. (See Dkt. No. 2.) On April 7, 2011, Plaintiff voluntarily dismissed the causes of action that he had asserted against Matveevskii without prejudice, leaving only the causes of action that he had asserted against THA. (See Dkt. No. 9.) Plaintiff then voluntarily dismissed the causes of action that he had asserted against THA as well, again without prejudice, on May 13, 2011. (See Dkt. No. 11.) Approximately two months later, on July 11, 2011, Plaintiff moved to reopen the case and file an Amended Complaint. (See Dkt. No. 12.) On December 14, 2011, Plaintiff's case was reassigned to this Court. (See Dkt. No. 17.) The Court granted Plaintiff's request to reopen the case and file an Amended Complaint on January 12, 2012. (See Dkt. No. 19.) On January 31, 2012, Plaintiff filed an Amended Complaint. (See Dkt. No. 21.) Defendants filed an Answer in response to Plaintiff's Amended Complaint on June 6, 2012. (See Dkt. No. 32.) On March 7, 2013, Plaintiff submitted an application for pro bono counsel, which the Court subsequently denied. (See Dkt. Nos. 48, 49.)
On August 9, 2013, Defendants moved for summary judgment, (see Dkt. Nos. 61-69), and certain then-defendants affiliated with HUD moved to dismiss, (see Dkt. Nos. 56-59). On September 25, 2013, Plaintiff requested an extension of time to respond to the motions, which request the Court granted, (see Dkt. No. 72), and, on October 28, 2013, Plaintiff submitted his opposition to the motions, (see Dkt. No. 89). Defendants then submitted a reply memorandum in support of their motion for summary judgment on November 14, 2013, (see Dkt. No. 73), and the HUD then-defendants submitted their reply memorandum the next day as well, (see Dkt. No. 75). On May 14, 2014, in an attempt to clarify certain aspects of Plaintiff's allegations, the Court directed the parties to submit supplemental memoranda of law. (See Dkt. No. 86.) Defendants thereafter submitted a supplemental reply memorandum on May 28, 2014, (see Dkt. No. 87), and, on May 21, June 2, June 8, June 13, and June 25, 2014, Plaintiff submitted various documents and photographs to the Court, none of which was responsive to the Court's May 14, 2014 Order, (see Dkt. Nos. 90-92).
On September 29, 2014, the Court issued its Opinion and Order (the "Opinion") granting summary judgment in favor of Defendants, and further granting the HUD then-defendants' motion to dismiss. (See Dkt. No. 93.) That Opinion also granted Plaintiff leave within 30 days to file a Second Amended Complaint. (See id.) Plaintiff then submitted a number of letters to the Court, including (1) a letter "ask[ing] for an extension the motion [sic] made by Mr. Tyra R Saechao of kbr LLP," (see Dkt. No. 94), to which the Court instructed Defendants to respond, (see Dkt. No. 94-95), (2) another letter submitted "to this [C]ourt to ask for a DISONANCE motion [sic]," (see Dkt. No. 96), and (3) a letter enclosing a copy of a housing discrimination complaint apparently submitted by Plaintiff to HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, (see Dkt. No. 97), and (4) a letter "[e]nclos[ing] ... additional information that support[s][Plaintiff's] case," and attaching a letter to Matveevskii from THA's commercial general liability insurance provider, (see Dkt. No. 98). On February 23, 2015, the Court issued an Order informing Plaintiff that he had 30 more days to file a Second Amended Complaint if he chose to do so, but that, otherwise, his case would be closed. (See Dkt. No. 99.)
Thereafter, on April 17, 2015, Plaintiff submitted a letter to the Court "[e]nclos[ing]... some of the information [Plaintiff had been] gathering," and informing the Court that "Matveevskii ... has [Plaintiff] back in local court in the Village of Tuckahoe." (See Dkt. No. 103.) Likewise, on April 21, 2015, the Court received a second letter from Plaintiff, indicating that Plaintiff had had an accident involving his left eye, and that he may have a concussion, but that, nevertheless, he was "trying very hard to make [the Court']s dead[ ]line of 30 days." (See Dkt. No. 102.)
Finally, on April 29, 2015, Plaintiff submitted his Third Amended Complaint. (See Dkt. No. 104.) On May 13, 2015, Defendants submitted a pre-motion letter to the Court in advance of their anticipated Motion to Dismiss, (see Dkt. No. 105), which the Court granted leave to file on May 19, 2015, (see Dkt. No. 107). On May 19, 2015, counsel for Adolfo Carrión and Mirza Orriols submitted a letter noting that the TAC did not name any HUD employee or HUD itself as a defendant, and informed the Court that the Government did not intend to file an answer or a pre-motion letter. (See Dkt. No. 106.)
On June 5, 2015, Plaintiff submitted a request dated May 25, 2015 to the Court asking for a "ruling on the information requested[ ]in [Plaintiff's] two [Freedom of Information Law requests]" sent to THA and a "[r]uling on how many lawyers ... Plaintiff ha[s] to answer[ ] to," issues in which the Court declined to involve itself prior to discovery. (See Dkt. No. 108.) In support of this letter, Plaintiff submitted yet another letter to the Court attaching additional documents on June 11, 2015, which Plaintiff asserted would "support [his] argument and make a strong case for a favorable decision by the Supreme Court." (See Dkt. No. 118.)
On June 18, 2015, Defendants submitted an Answer to the TAC, (see Dkt. No. 109), which they then withdrew that same day, (see Dkt. No. 110), before submitting their Motion to Dismiss and accompanying papers the following day, (see Dkt. Nos. 111-17). By letter dated July 14, 2015, Plaintiff submitted a letter informing that Court that he had contacted an attorney who agreed to review his case, and asked for an extension to file his opposition by August 21, 2015, a request the Court granted. (See Dkt. No. 119.) On August 19, 2015, Plaintiff submitted a one-page self-styled "Response Complaint" to the Court informing the Court that it was his "understanding under the Fifth Amendment ... [that] [he] [is] entitled to due process," and summarizing what he believes that proposition to entail. (See Dkt. No. 120.) On September 21, 2015, Defendants submitted their Reply Memorandum, arguing that Plaintiff's August 19, 2015 submission did not constitute an opposition to their Motion, and requesting that Plaintiff's claims be deemed abandoned. (See Dkt. No. 121.)
On October 1, 2015, Plaintiff submitted a letter to the Court attaching various other
"The standards of review for a motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(1) for lack of subject matter jurisdiction and under 12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim are 'substantively identical.'" Gonzalez v. Option One Mortg. Corp., No. 12-CV-1470, 2014 WL 2475893, at *2 (D.Conn. June 3, 2014) (quoting Lerner v. Fleet Bank, N.A., 318 F.3d 113, 128 (2d Cir. 2003)); see also Neroni v. Coccoma, No. 13-CV-1340, 2014 WL 2532482, at *4 (N.D.N.Y. June 5, 2014) (same), aff'd, 591 Fed.Appx. 28 (2d Cir.2015). "In deciding both types of motions, the Court must accept all factual allegations in the complaint as true, and draw inferences from those allegations in the light most favorable to the plaintiff." Gonzalez, 2014 WL 2475893, at *2 (internal quotation marks omitted); see also Seemann v. U.S. Postal Serv., No. 11-CV-206, 2012 WL 1999847, at *1 (D.Vt. June 4, 2012) (same). However, "[o]n a Rule 12(b)(1) motion, ... the party who invokes the Court's jurisdiction bears the burden of proof to demonstrate that subject matter jurisdiction exists, whereas the movant bears the burden of proof on a motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6)." Gonzalez, 2014 WL 2475893, at *2; see also Sobel v. Prudenti, 25 F.Supp.3d 340, 352 (E.D.N.Y.2014) ("In contrast to the standard for a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim under Rule 12(b)(6), a plaintiff asserting subject matter jurisdiction has the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence that it exists." (internal quotation marks omitted)). This difference as to the allocation of the burden of proof is "[t]he only substantive difference" between the standards of review under these two rules. Smith v. St. Luke's Roosevelt Hosp., No. 08-CV-4710, 2009 WL 2447754, at *9 n. 10 (S.D.N.Y. Aug. 11, 2009), adopted by 2009 WL 2878093 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 2, 2009); see also Fagan v. U.S. Dist. Court for S. Dist. of N.Y., 644 F.Supp.2d 441, 447 n. 7 (S.D.N.Y.2009) (same).
"A federal court has subject matter jurisdiction over a cause of action only when it has authority to adjudicate the cause pressed in the complaint." Bryant v. Steele, 25 F.Supp.3d 233, 241 (E.D.N.Y. 2014) (internal quotation marks omitted). "Determining the existence of subject matter jurisdiction is a threshold inquiry[,] and a claim is properly dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction under Rule 12(b)(1) when the district court lacks the statutory or constitutional power to adjudicate it." Morrison v. Nat'l Austl. Bank Ltd., 547 F.3d 167, 170 (2d Cir.2008) (internal quotation marks omitted), aff'd, 561 U.S. 247, 130 S.Ct. 2869, 177 L.Ed.2d 535 (2010); see also N.Y. State Citizens' Coal. for Children v. Carrion, 31 F.Supp.3d 512, 516 (E.D.N.Y.2014) (same).
"While a complaint attacked by a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss does not need detailed factual allegations, a plaintiff's obligation to provide the grounds of his entitlement to relief requires more than labels
For the purposes of Defendants' Motion To Dismiss, the Court is required to consider as true the factual allegations contained in the Amended Complaint. See Ruotolo v. City of N.Y., 514 F.3d 184, 188 (2d Cir.2008) ("We review de novo a district court's dismissal of a complaint pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6), accepting all factual allegations in the complaint and drawing all reasonable inferences in the plaintiff's favor." (italics and internal quotation marks omitted)); see also Gonzalez v. Caballero, 572 F.Supp.2d 463, 466 (S.D.N.Y. 2008) (same). "In adjudicating a Rule 12(b)(6) motion, a district court must confine its consideration to facts stated on the face of the complaint, in documents appended to the complaint or incorporated in the complaint by reference, and to matters of which judicial notice may be taken." Leonard F. v. Isr. Disc. Bank of N.Y., 199 F.3d 99, 107 (2d Cir.1999) (internal quotation marks omitted). Finally, the Court construes "the submissions of a pro se litigant ... liberally" and interprets them "to raise the strongest arguments that they suggest." Triestman v. Fed. Bureau of Prisons, 470 F.3d 471, 474 (2d Cir.2006) (internal quotation marks omitted).
As with his First Amended Complaint, it is less than entirely clear what claims Plaintiff intends to press in his TAC. Defendants rightly note that Plaintiff asserts only one cause of action for negligence. (See Mem. of Law in Supp. of Mot. To Dismiss Third Am. Comp. ("Defs.' Mem.") 4 (Dkt. No. 113).) Because negligence is not a federal question, and because diversity of citizenship is lacking, Defendants argue that this matter must be dismissed for want of subject matter jurisdiction. (Id. at 4-5.)
Because the Parties are non-diverse (i.e., New Yorkers), (see TAC, at unnumbered 1
Defendants move to dismiss Plaintiff's claim on several grounds. Before delving into those reasons and whether Defendants are correct, it is first necessary to determine what, exactly, Plaintiff is claiming. By the Court's liberal read, Plaintiff at least attempts to assert a claim for the following:
For the following reasons, to the extent these claims raise a federal question, dismissal is appropriate.
As noted, Plaintiff's Third Amended Complaint may well implicate the Fair Housing Act ("FHA"), the ADA, and § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The FHA proscribes "refus[al] to sell or rent after the making of a bona fide offer, or to refuse to negotiate for the sale or rental of, or otherwise make unavailable or deny, a dwelling to any person because of race, color,
In the context of a disability claim, "plaintiffs who allege violations under the ADA, the FHA, and the Rehabilitation Act may proceed under any or all of three theories: disparate treatment, disparate impact, and failure to make reasonable accommodation." Reg'l Econ. Cmty. Action Program, Inc. v. City of Middle-town, 294 F.3d 35, 48 (2d Cir.2002), superseded by statute on other grounds, ADA Amendments of 2008, Pub. L. No. 110-325, 122 Stat. 3553, as recognized in Anderson Grp., LLC v. City of Saratoga Springs, 805 F.3d 34, 46 (2d Cir.2015); see also Fulton v. Goord, 591 F.3d 37, 43 (2d Cir.2009) ("A qualified individual can base a discrimination claim [under Title II of the ADA or § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act] on any of `three available theories: (1) intentional discrimination (disparate treatment); (2) disparate impact; and (3) failure to make a reasonable accommodation.'") (quoting Tsombanidis v. W. Haven Fire Dep't, 352 F.3d 565, 573 (2d Cir.2003)). Similarly, under §§ 3604(a) and (b) of the Fair Housing Act, "[a] plaintiff can make out a claim of discrimination either on a theory of disparate impact or one of disparate treatment." Fair Hous. in Huntington Comm. Inc. v. Town of Huntington, N.Y., 316 F.3d 357, 366 (2d Cir.2003) (internal quotation marks omitted) (describing standard under § 3604(a)); see also Khalil v. Farash Corp., 452 F.Supp.2d 203, 207 (W.D.N.Y.2006) (noting same in context of § 3604(a) and (b) claims), aff'd, 277 Fed.Appx. 81 (2d Cir.2008).
Read liberally, Plaintiff's TAC can be taken to assert (1) a claim for disparate treatment under the FHA, the ADA, and Rehabilitation Act, and (2) a claim for failure to accommodate under these same statutes.
As noted in the Opinion resolving the prior Motions for Summary Judgment and To Dismiss, "subtle differences" exist among these laws. Logan v. Matveevskii, 57 F.Supp.3d 234, 253 (S.D.N.Y.2014) (internal
To begin, a plaintiff asserting a claim of housing discrimination must establish that the basis upon which he was discriminated against was "a significant factor" in the position taken by the defendants. See Reg'l Econ. Cmty. Action Program, 294 F.3d at 49 ("To establish a prima facie case of discrimination under the FHA and the ADA, the plaintiffs must present evidence that animus against the protected group was a significant factor in the position taken by the municipal decision-makers themselves or by those to whom the decision-makers were knowingly responsive.") (internal quotation marks omitted); L.C. v. LeFrak Org., Inc., 987 F.Supp.2d 391, 400 (S.D.N.Y.2013) ("[F]or disparate treatment cases, '[t]o establish a prima facie case of discrimination under the FHA [ ], the plaintiffs must present evidence that animus against the protected group was a significant factor' in the position taken by the defendant." (second and third alterations in original) (quoting Reg'l Econ. Cmty. Action Program, 294 F.3d at 49)); Palmieri v. Town of Babylon, No. 01-CV-1399, 2006 WL 1155162, at *14 (E.D.N.Y. Jan. 6, 2006) (noting at summary judgment stage in race discrimination case, that "[t]o [establish a prima facie case of FHA discrimination], [a plaintiff] must offer evidence that 'animus against the protected group was a significant factor in the position taken by the municipal decision-makers themselves or by those to whom the decision-makers were knowingly responsive.'" (quoting LeBlanc-Sternberg v. Fletcher, 67 F.3d 412, 425 (2d Cir. 1995))), aff'd, 277 Fed.Appx. 72 (2d Cir. 2008).
While this is not a pleading requirement, and a plaintiff "need [not] allege discriminatory animus for [his or] her disparate treatment claim to be sufficiently pleaded," Boykin v. KeyCorp, 521 F.3d 202, 215 (2d Cir.2008), and while it may be "sufficient that [a] plaintiff state[ ] [his or] her protected status, set forth the circumstances under which [he or] she was treated differently, and include[ ] an allegation that this differential treatment was on the basis of [his or] her protected status," L.C., 987 F.Supp.2d at 401 (citing Boykin, 521 F.3d at 215), a claim is appropriately dismissed where a complaint's factual allegations do not permit the conclusion that the complained-of conduct occurred because of discriminatory animus, see Smith v. NYCHA, No. 08-CV-4717, 2009 WL 2486930, at *1 (S.D.N.Y. Aug. 14, 2009) (concluding a complaint failed to state a claim where "there [was] nothing in [it] ... that could... permit the conclusion that anything of which [the] [p]laintiff complain[ed] occurred because the [housing authority defendant] acted with a discriminatory animus on account of any disability ...."), aff'd, 410 Fed.Appx. 404 (2d Cir.2011).
Here, Plaintiff simply has not alleged sufficient facts to conclude that he was in any way directly discriminated against on the basis of race, family status, age, or disability. With respect to racial discrimination, Plaintiff has alleged (1) in conclusory fashion that he was the victim of racial discrimination or, at best redundantly, "[d]iscrimination against a black family," (TAC, at unnumbered 9 ¶ 7; id., at unnumbered 11 ¶ 11(f)), and (2) that Matveevskii called 911 over Plaintiff's presence at a meeting, where she reported that
This latter observation also dooms any possible disparate treatment discrimination claims based upon disability, age, or familial status. (See TAC, at unnumbered 8-9 ¶ 4; id., at unnumbered 11 ¶ 11(f); id., at unnumbered 14 ¶ 17.) The latter two are particularly infirm because age is not a protected class under the FHA, see § 3604(a), (b); see also Quad Enters., LLC v. Town of Southold, 369 Fed.Appx. 202, 206 (2d Cir.2010) ("[A]ge itself is not a protected category under the [FHA] or ADA."); Mesi v. Wash. Mut. Home Loans, Inc., No. 08-CV-486, 2011 WL 2174967, at *2 (D.Nev. June 3, 2011) ("[A]ge is not a protected category under the FHA."), and "familial status" is elsewhere defined in the FHA as "mean[ing] one or more individuals (who have not attained the age of 18 years) being domiciled with" either "(1) a parent or another person having legal custody of such individual or individuals; or (2) the designee of such parent or other person having such custody, with the written permission of such parent or other person," see § 3602(k), which is fatal because, vague though it may at times seem, the TAC simply contains no facts relating to a minor cohabitant.
In contrast with Plaintiff's FHA and ADA claims, "[t]o establish a prima facie case of discrimination under the Rehabilitation Act ..., [a] plaintiff[ ] must show that the defendants denied the permit solely because of the disability." Reg'l Econ. Cmty. Action Program, Inc., 294 F.3d at 49 (emphasis added) (internal quotation marks omitted). As noted in the previous section, Plaintiff has failed to adequately allege that "animus against the [disabled] was a significant factor in [Defendants'] position taken." Id. (emphasis and internal quotation marks omitted). A fortiori, he has failed to adequately allege that it was the "sole[ ]" reason. See id.; see also Logan, 57 F.Supp.3d at 254 (noting that "the reach of the Rehabilitation Act is limited to denials of benefits solely by reason of disability, while the ADA applies more broadly to such denials by reason of disability.") (alterations, citation, emphasis, and internal quotation marks omitted).
In its last Opinion, the Court found that Plaintiff's failure-to-accommodate claims under the ADA, FHA, and Rehabilitation Act all failed because (1) Plaintiff could not make out a prima facie claim, and (2) Plaintiff could not show that Defendants constructively denied his accommodation request. With respect to the former, the Court found that Plaintiff's claim failed because Defendants offered to reasonably accommodate Plaintiff's needs for a lower-level apartment when, in March 2011, they proposed moving a family out of a two-bedroom, handicap-accessible unit at 4 Union Place. See Logan, 57 F.Supp.3d at 263-65. It rejected Plaintiff's two stated reasons for why that offer did not make for a reasonable accommodation — specifically, that he was more comfortable in his current building, 31 Midland Place, and his discomfort being around the elderly for whom the Union Place building was partially designed — on the grounds that neither putative need was conveyed to Defendants. See id. at 263-65. Similarly, the Court concluded that Defendants did not constructively deny Plaintiff's request for a reasonable accommodation through delay in granting it, because (1) Plaintiff's first potential request for a reasonable accommodation that accrued even arguably within the statute-of-limitations period was an August 7, 2008 submission to Matveevskii, although, for a variety of reasons, the Court would not consider that letter, and (2) Plaintiff's next submission — a March 7, 2010 letter — was not constructively denied because, even though Defendants
With regard to the reasonable accommodation issue, it has already been decided that Defendants' March 2011 offer was a reasonable accommodation of Plaintiff's need for a lower-level apartment. Plaintiff again has provided no basis to conclude that he conveyed additional needs to Defendants such that the March 2011 offer was somehow unreasonable. (See generally TAC.) Therefore, absent some reason to depart from its prior decision, the Court declines to do so.
As a general matter, "[w]hen a court has ruled on an issue, that decision should generally be adhered to by that court in subsequent stages in the same case unless cogent and compelling reasons militate otherwise." Grimes v. Fremont Gen. Corp., 933 F.Supp.2d 584, 608 (S.D.N.Y.2013) (internal quotation marks omitted); see also Musacchio v. United States, ___ U.S. ___, 136 S.Ct. 709, 716, 193 L.Ed.2d 639 (2016) ("The law-of-the-case doctrine generally provides that when a court decides upon a rule of law, that decision should continue to govern the same issues in subsequent stages in the same case. The doctrine expresses the practice of courts generally to refuse to reopen what has been decided but it does not limit courts' power." (alteration, citations, and internal quotation marks omitted)). While Plaintiff apparently has deleted references to Defendants' March 2011 offer in the TAC, his subterfuge is not a "cogent and compelling reason[ ]," Grimes, 933 F.Supp.2d at 608 (internal quotation marks omitted), to avoid application of the doctrine, see Colliton v. Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, No. 08-CV-400, 2008 WL 4386764, at *6 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 24, 2008) ("Where a plaintiff blatantly changes his statement of the facts in order to respond to the defendant's motion to dismiss and directly contradicts the facts set forth in his original complaint, a court is authorized to accept the facts described in the original complaint as true." (alterations and internal quotation marks omitted)), aff'd, 356 Fed.Appx. 535 (2d Cir.2009).
With regard to the latter, given the procedural posture of this case, the Court is obligated to accept as true Plaintiff's assertion that he sent an email on August 7, 2008 to Matveevskii — the same date as the correspondence the Court declined to consider in its last Opinion — describing "[his] needs and concerns for being a disabled tenant with a heart condition, especially with [his] apartment being located on the 3rd floor and the difficulty [he] [was] experiencing walking up and down the 3 flights of stairs" and "ask[ing] for a 'reasonable accommodation' for a first floor apartment in either 31 Midland [P]lace or 25 Midland Place." (TAC, at unnumbered 2 ¶ 8.) However, apart from Plaintiff's assertion that his request went "unanswered and ignored," Plaintiff offers no reason to believe that the delay was caused by other than benign reasons.
To be sure, taking August 7, 2008 and the March 2011 reasonable accommodation as the relevant dates, Plaintiff alleges a delay of over two and a half years, which courts have found sufficient to constitute constructive denial of a reasonable accommodation. See Bhogaita v. Altamonte Heights Condo. Ass'n, Inc., 765 F.3d 1277, 1286 (11th Cir.2014) (six-month delay in a Fair Housing Act case); Scoggins v. Lee's Crossing Homeowners Ass'n, 718 F.3d 262, 272 (4th Cir.2013) (15-month delay between request to use all-terrain vehicle in community's roads and driveways and a follow-up request by the board of directors for additional information); Astralis Condo.
As explained in the last Opinion, "case law makes clear that the length of the delay is not the only factor that courts consider in determining whether a constructive denial has taken place[;] [i]nstead, to make out a claim of constructive denial, a plaintiff bears the burden of demonstrating discriminatory intent." Logan, 57 F.Supp.3d at 271; see also Taylor v. Hous. Auth. of New Haven, 267 F.R.D. 36, 70 (D.Conn.2010) (If ... [the defendant] failed to respond to [the plaintiff's] request because of bureaucratic incompetence, that fact ... does not show violations of [§] 504 or the [FHA], which are addressed to rules that hurt people with disabilities by reason of their handicap, rather than that hurt them solely by virtue of what they have in common with other people.` (emphasis in original) (alterations and internal quotation marks omitted)), aff'd sub nom. Taylor ex rel. Wazyluk v. Hous. Auth. of City of New Haven, 645 F.3d 152 (2d Cir.2011).
Next, Plaintiff invokes the Architectural Barriers Act ("ABA"), 42 U.S.C. §§ 4151-56. (See TAC, at unnumbered 8 ¶ 3; id., at unnumbered 10 ¶ 11(b).) "Congress enacted the ABA 'to insure whenever possible that physically handicapped persons will have ready access to, and use of, [federal] buildings.'" Cooke v. U.S. Bureau of Prisons, 926 F.Supp.2d 720, 727 (E.D.N.C. 2013) (alteration in original) (quoting 42 U.S.C. § 4152). As used in the ABA, however, "building" has a specialized meaning, and refers to
42 U.S.C. § 4151.
With respect to residential structures in particular, the statute further provides that:
42 U.S.C. § 4153. The relevant regulations further define what HUD considers to be a "residential structure." See 24 C.F.R. § 40.2. Furthermore, 24 C.F.R. § 40.4 provides that "[r]esidential structures subject
The UFAS were promulgated in connection with input from the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board ("ATBCB"), see Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards, 49 Fed. Reg. 31528, 31528 (Aug. 7, 1984) ("Issuance of this document follows consideration of public comments received on proposed uniform standards and involved close cooperation with the staff of the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board."), a body created in 1973, see Act of Sept. 26, 1973, Pub. L. No. 93-112, § 502, 87 Stat. 355, which, today, is charged with, among other things, "ensur[ing] compliance with the standards prescribed pursuant to the [ABA]," 29 U.S.C. § 792(b)(1), as well as establishing and maintaining "minimum guidelines and requirements for the standards issued pursuant to the [ABA]," id. § 792(b)(3)(A). Importantly, the ATBCB is empowered to "conduct investigations, hold public hearings, and issue such orders as it deems necessary to ensure compliance with the provisions of the [ABA]." Id. § 792(e)(1).
Since the passage of the ABA and the development of the ATBCB, a number of courts have grappled with whether and when a plaintiff may maintain a suit for alleged violations of the ABA. A number of well-reasoned decisions have concluded that a plaintiff cannot bring a private cause of action pursuant to the ABA, at least not without first presenting a claim to the ATBCB. See, e.g., Weber v. Eash, No. 15-CV-225, 2015 WL 8481885, at *4 (E.D.Wash. Dec. 8, 2015) ("[T]he ABA provides for purely administrative remedies and does not provide for a private cause of action." (internal quotation marks omitted)), reconsideration denied, 2015 WL 9166084 (E.D.Wash. Dec. 15, 2015); Cooke, 926 F.Supp.2d at 727 ("[U]nder the statutory scheme [a] plaintiff[ ] first must exhaust the administrative process under the ABA, and then seek judicial review."); Gray v. United States, No. 10-CV-467, 2011 WL 5191294, at *6 (D.Me. Oct. 31, 2011) ("[B]etter-reasoned caselaw has held, consistent with the language of the ABA, that it creates no direct private right of action ...."), adopted by 2011 WL 5826600 (D.Me. Nov. 18, 2011); Jackson v. Fed. Bureau of Prisons, No. 06-CV-1347, 2007 WL 843839, at *20 (D.Minn. Mar. 16, 2007) (noting that the ABA "does [not] provide for a private cause of action"); Telep v. Potter, No. 04-CV-6, 2005 WL 2454103, at *9 (E.D.Va. Sept. 30, 2005) ("There is no private right of action by handicapped individuals complaining of a violation of the ABA; enforcement is purely administrative."); Crowder v. True, No. 95-CV-4704, 1998 WL 42318, at *2 (N.D.Ill. Jan. 29, 1998) ("There is no private right of action by handicapped individuals complaining of a violation of the [ABA]; enforcement is purely administrative." (internal quotation marks omitted)). But see Rose v. U.S. Postal Serv., 774 F.2d 1355, 1363 (9th Cir.1984) ("Because this case was dismissed at the pleadings stage, we cannot determine whether plaintiffs could prevail on their claims under the Rehabilitation Act as to buildings that are not currently subject to alteration under the Barriers Act.").
It makes sense that the ABA would not provide a private right of action. 29 U.S.C. § 792(e) expressly contemplates both an investigatory mission for the ATBCB and judicial review of its orders. Because, "[t]he judicial task is to interpret the statute Congress has passed to determine whether it displays an intent to create not just a private right but also a
Here, "[P]laintiff does not allege that [he] filed a complaint with the ATBCB and that [he] appeals any final order of that body," Gray, 2011 WL 5191294, at *6, suggesting that his action is premature. (See also TAC, at unnumbered 8 ¶ 3; id., at unnumbered 10 ¶ 11(b).) Plaintiff's ABA claim is therefore dismissed.
Plaintiff also includes a number of claims concerning Defendants' alleged miscalculation of his rent, apparently given their failure to consider certain medical deductions and otherwise not providing Plaintiff with breakdowns of his rent calculations. (See TAC, at unnumbered 6 ¶ 24; id., at unnumbered 6-7 ¶ 29; id., at unnumbered 7 ¶ 31; id., at unnumbered 11 ¶ 12.) Defendants argue that Plaintiff's rental rate issues were resolved by a stipulation on the record in the Village Court of Tuckahoe in April 2013, and that his claim of rent overcharge was dismissed by the New York State Supreme Court, in a decision that Plaintiff did not appeal. (See Defs.' Mem. 11 n.6 (citing Decl. of Joan M. Gilbride ("Gilbride Decl.") Ex. E (Dkt. No. 116); Gilbride Decl. Ex. F).) In essence, Defendants argue that Plaintiff's claims are barred by the doctrine of res judicata.
"A federal court must give to a state-court judgment the same preclusive effect as would be given that judgment under the law of the [s]tate in which the judgment was rendered." O'Connor v. Pierson, 568 F.3d 64, 69 (2d Cir.2009) (alteration and internal quotation marks omitted (quoting Migra v. Warren City Sch. Dist. Bd. of Educ., 465 U.S. 75, 81, 104 S.Ct. 892, 79 L.Ed.2d 56 (1984))); see also Yoon v. Fordham Univ. Faculty & Admin. Ret. Plan, 263 F.3d 196, 200 (2d Cir.2001) (citing 28 U.S.C. § 1738) (same). "Federal courts must use the res judicata doctrine of the state in which the state court judgment was granted." Fequiere v. Tribeca Lending, No. 14-CV-812, 2016 WL 1057000, at *5 (E.D.N.Y. Mar. 11, 2016) (italics omitted); see also Barnes v. N.Y. State Div. of Human Rights, No. 14-CV-2388, 2016 WL 110522, at *6 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 8, 2016) ("[W]here a federal court is considering the res judicata effect of a state court judgment, the federal court must afford the state court judgment the same preclusive effect it would have under the law of the state in which it was entered.") Therefore, because the preclusive effect of a New York state court decision is asserted, the Court must consider New York's law of res judicata. See Marvel Characters, Inc. v. Simon, 310 F.3d 280, 286 (2d Cir.2002) (noting that the court would apply "New York law in determining the preclusive effect of a New York State court judgment"). "Under New York's transactional approach to the rule, once a claim is brought to a final conclusion, all other claims arising out of the same transaction or series of transactions
Here, res judicata bars Plaintiff's rent claims. First, the Supreme Court's Decision and Order made clear that it dismissed Plaintiff's rent overcharge claim pursuant to C.P.L.R. 3211(a)(1), (see Gilbride Decl. Ex. F 2-3), a determination sufficiently final to trigger res judicata, see Corsini v. Bloomberg, 26 F.Supp.3d 230, 246 (S.D.N.Y.2014) ("In New York, a dismissal is on the merits if granted pursuant [to] Rule 3211(a)(1) of the CPLR ...."), aff'd in part, appeal dismissed in part sub nom. Corsini v. Nast, 613 Fed.Appx. 1 (2d Cir.2015); Randall's Island Aquatic Leisure, LLC v. City of N.Y., No. 12-CV-6039, 2013 WL 2951945, at *3 (S.D.N.Y. June 13, 2013) ("[D]ismissals based on Rule 3211(a)(1) and supporting documentary evidence are on the case's merits, and thus have preclusive effect." (internal quotation marks omitted)).
Conceptually, it is possible that, index-number reference notwithstanding, Plaintiff also claims improper rent calculation for subsequent conduct, at least inasmuch
Having dismissed Plaintiff's FHA, ADA, Rehabilitation Act, and ABA claims, the presence of a federal question in this case is no longer quite so clear. Plaintiff makes three allegations that tread near issues of federal law; however, none is sufficient to create a federal question. First, Plaintiff persists in claiming that Defendants failed to comply with certain federal housing regulations, (see TAC, at unnumbered 2 ¶ 7; id. at unnumbered 8-9 ¶ 4; id. at unnumbered 11 ¶ 11(g)); however, as noted in the last Opinion, "there is generally no private right of action to enforce HUD regulations." Logan, 57 F.Supp.3d at 274 (citing Taylor ex rel. Wazyluk v, 645 F.3d at 153). Second, Plaintiff also purports to bring a claim for "[i]mproper handling of [his] private and personal information," which he describes as "sale of personal information that was to be safe[ ]guarded under the Rights to Privacy within the boundaries of the Fair Housing Act." (TAC, at unnumbered 12 ¶ 14.) This misfires, however, because, simply put, there is no FHA "Right[ ] to Privacy." Finally, Plaintiff stresses that he was "coerc[ed]" apparently into signing an agreement for an apartment that he otherwise would not have signed if not for Defendants' intransigence in providing him what he refers to as a "reasonable accommodation." (See TAC, at unnumbered 11 ¶ 11(h); id., at unnumbered 13 ¶ 16(c).) To be sure, the FHA and ADA both have anti-coercion provisions.
The remaining claims in Plaintiff's TAC — to the extent they are claims at all — pose no federal question. Indeed, Plaintiff's remaining grievances have to do with violations of various local codes, (see id., at unnumbered 11 ¶¶ 11(h)-11(i)), Defendants terminating Plaintiff's lease and/or evicting him, (see id., at unnumbered 5 ¶¶ 21-22; id., at unnumbered 7 ¶ 30; id., at unnumbered 12 ¶ 13(a); id., at unnumbered 12 ¶ 14(a); id. at unnumbered 12-13 ¶ 15; id., at unnumbered 13 ¶ 16(b)), calling the police, (see id., at unnumbered 3 ¶ 12; id., at unnumbered 6 ¶ 27; id., at unnumbered 12 ¶ 13(b); id., at unnumbered 12 ¶ 14(a)), calling HUD and/or the Department of Homeland Security to claim that Plaintiff was housing a pedophile, (see id., at unnumbered 4 ¶ 16; id., at unnumbered 12 ¶ 13(c); id., at unnumbered 13 ¶ 16(a); id., at unnumbered 14 ¶ 17), calling the Elder Abuse Hotline, (see id., at unnumbered 8 ¶ 37; id., at unnumbered 12 ¶ 13(d); id., at unnumbered 14 ¶ 17), putting stress on and/or otherwise attacking Plaintiff's family, (see id., at unnumbered 4-5 ¶ 17; id., at unnumbered 12 ¶ 14(a); id., at unnumbered 12-13 ¶ 15), violations of the "Real Property Laws, The Apartment Law," (see id., at unnumbered 11 ¶ 11(e); id., at unnumbered 13-14 ¶ 16(f)), interfering with Plaintiff's "rights as a tenant to have equal enjoyment" to his apartment, (see id., at unnumbered 13 ¶ 16), and negligence, (see id., at unnumbered 10 ¶ 9; id., at unnumbered 14). Plaintiff has provided no basis to conclude that these allegations implicate a federal question, and, indeed, they at best state a claim for relief under state law. In such circumstances, the Court may decline jurisdiction over the remaining state claims, as the Court opts now to do. See United Mine Workers of Am. v. Gibbs, 383 U.S. 715, 726, 86 S.Ct. 1130, 16 L.Ed.2d 218 (1966) ("Certainly, if the federal claims are dismissed before trial, even though not insubstantial in a jurisdictional sense, the state claims should be dismissed as well."); Westchester Cty. Indep. Party v. Astorino, 137 F.Supp.3d 586, 626, 2015 WL 5883718, at *27 (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 8, 2015) ("Because the Court dismisses all of [the] [p]laintiffs' federal claims, it declines to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over [the] [p]laintiffs' state law claims.").
For the foregoing reasons, Plaintiff's TAC is dismissed in its entirety. Because this is Plaintiff's Third Amended Complaint, the dismissal is with prejudice. See, e.g., Denny v. Barber, 576 F.2d 465, 471 (2d Cir.1978) (holding that the plaintiff was not entitled to "a third go-around"); Anthony v. Brockway, No. 15-CV-451, 2015 WL 5773402, at *3 (N.D.N.Y. Sept. 30, 2015) (dismissing amended complaint with prejudice where the "[p]laintiff has already been given one opportunity to amend his complaint ..., and there is nothing in his second amended complaint suggesting that [he] could do better given another opportunity"); Al-Qadaffi v. Servs. for the Underserved (SUS), No. 13-CV-8193, 2015 WL 585801, at *8 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 30, 2015) (denying leave to amend where "[the plaintiff] has already had one chance to amend his [c]omplaint, and there is still no indication that a valid claim might be stated if given a second chance"), aff'd, 632 Fed.Appx. 31 (2d Cir.2016); Bui v. Indus. Enters. of Am., Inc., 594 F.Supp.2d 364, 373
The Clerk of the Court is respectfully directed to terminate the pending Motion, (see Dkt. No.111) and to close this case.
SO ORDERED.
(TAC, at unnumbered 4 ¶ 17 (ellipses in original).)
42 U.S.C. § 3617.
The ADA's analogous provision reads:
42 U.S.C § 12203(b).