HRC Rules DTN Violated Tenant’s Civil Rights

The East Lansing Human Rights Commission ruled during its Monday (Oct. 9) meeting that DTN violated the civil rights of a tenant living at the 550 Woodbrook Drive property.

The HRC met for over 45 minutes in a closed session to discuss a complaint filed against DTN in August of 2022. The complaint was made jointly by tenant Maria Yokich-Grebner and her uncle, attorney Mark Grebner, against DTN. The complaint claimed DTN was violating Yokich-Grebner’s civil rights.

Yokich-Grebner was receiving funds using the COVID Emergency Rental Assistance program (CERA), which DTN applied to participate in. After the expiration of CERA, Yokich-Grebner was able to find full-time employment, and was able to pay her rent without delay, according to the complaint.

When trying to renew her lease, Yokich-Grebner dealt with obstacles in the process. Mainly she received an email from the leasing manager, Jessica Garcia, from the apartment complex stating, “I pushed super hard to get you renewed. However DTN is no longer renewing anyone who received CERA.”

Following this exchange, Yokich-Grebner was ordered by DTN to leave the property. DTN has claimed the reason is that the tenant had a history of late payments.

The HRC has reviewed and discussed the complaint for numerous sessions. The resolution reached Monday comes over a year after the complaint was first filed. The commission determined DTN has violated the city’s civil rights ordinance and must return Yokich-Grebner her security deposit. City Attorney Anthony Chubb will negotiate a deal with DTN to determine any additional consequences.

Ingham County Commissioner and attorney Mark Grebner addresses the Human Rights Commission on Monday, June 12, 2023. (Dylan Lees for ELi)

Mark Grebner attended the Monday HRC meeting and spoke during public comment. He shared that the commission has given him and his niece little communication.

“I just kept showing up and trying to discuss it and being forced to use public comment, because I was not allowed to discuss the item on the rare occasions that it was even listed on the agenda,” Grebner said.

During the meeting on Monday, the HRC adopted a new rule that limits public comment to only five minutes per person. Grebner was also vocal about this rule seemingly targeting him.

Despite the ruling going in his niece’s favor, Grebner was not optimistic it will lead to widespread change at DTN.

“I don’t think DTN will pay much attention to it, except to be more careful in the future to warn their employees not to say things that will cause DTN trouble,” he told ELi in an email after the meeting.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify the proper language for the ruling made by the Human Rights Commission. (11:51 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023)