M & T Mortgage Corp. v. White

Leo White and Linda and Kimberly Council (plaintiffs), all African American first-time property buyers seeking low-income rental investments who qualified for financing, sued M & T Mortgage and the sellers/lenders of two properties they purchased, discovering afterward the properties were in such disrepair they couldn't attract tenants; M & T itself wasn't named in the specific count alleging the seller and lender violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA). A magistrate judge found the seller and lender concentrated their activities in predominantly minority neighborhoods, but it remained unclear whether they intentionally targeted minority buyers or intentionally misrepresented the properties' condition or value; the district court adopted these findings and considered the magistrate's recommendation to deny summary judgment and proceed to trial.