BUFFALO, N.Y. — Dozens of Buffalo State students are no longer in housing debt after an investigation from the New York State Attorney General’s Office.
The investigation found that housing provider Monarch 716 routinely coaxed students into signing leases, even if they didn't meet Monarch's qualifications, and then demanded rent and even referred students to debt collectors while denying access to apartments. According to the AG’s office, Monarch has done this to hundreds of students since 2019.
“I want to thank Attorney General James and her office for holding Monarch 716 accountable and cancelling the thousands of dollars in debt the company tried to illegally saddle me with,” said Maria Reid, an impacted SUNY Buffalo State College student. “Monarch 716 deceived me and so many others while threatening to send us to debt collectors and ruining our credit. After viewing a Monarch 716 apartment, the company claimed I owed thousands of dollars without ever doing its due diligence to see if I even qualified for the apartment. I never lived in a Monarch 716 apartment for even a day, yet was told I needed to pay thousands. I’m glad that this company will be blocked from harming another student because of the attorney general’s work.”
A total of $200,000 worth of debt was canceled as part of an agreement with the housing provider.
AG Letitia James says the agreement will help students get their lives back in order, and that illegal housing schemes will not be tolerated.
“Preying on students with illegal housing schemes is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” said AG James. “Monarch 716 engaged in serious predatory behavior that violated tenants’ rights and made students, who were just starting out their lives, feel threatened. Today’s agreement will help students impacted by Monarch 716 get their lives back in order without having thousands of dollars of debt looming over their heads. My office is committed to standing up to predatory landlords and protecting students.”
A representative for Monarch 716 declined to comment on the matter.
