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George Wilborn is not only the victim of the couple's discrimination, he is also a co-host of The Michael Baisden Show. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced on August 10 that they will charge Daniel and Adrienne Sabbia, as well as their real estate agent Jeffrey Lowe with violation of fair housing laws.
According to HUD, the family and their agent stalled negotiations with Wilborn and even took the home off the market in order to avoid selling it to him. Wilborn and his wife Peytyn offered $1.7 million for the house, which was the highest offer the couple had received in two years. Lowe, the real estate agent, admitted that the couple did not want to sell the home to the Wilborn family because they are black.
"Racial fairness is important at all income levels. Civil rights enforcement must be the effective shield against housing discrimination that in this case wealth was not," said John Trasviña, HUD Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.
"We went and saw the house one more time and as we left, something occurred," Willborn said. "My family and I felt strange. Let's just say it was a really quiet ride home after this happened."
Wilborn filed a complaint in January about the Sabbia's behavior. After finding out that the complaint had been filed, they offered to sell the home, fully furnished, for $1.8 million. The Wilborns declined to take the second offer. Wilborn plans to take the issue as far as he can, including speaking about it in public.
Good for George Wilborn. For every case of discrimination that goes reported, there are hundreds that are swept under the rug. By using the courts to remedy such discrimination, Wilborn has put others on notice that this kind of behavior will simply not be tolerated. I am also happy to see that Wilborn didn't reward the alleged racists in this situation by taking their second offer. If they did indeed discriminate against Wilborn because of his race, they should learn very quickly that racism is just not profitable.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. 
Comments: (108)
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By: dvine on 8/16/2010 10:26AM
huh? let me get this right.. a couple won't sell and take $1.7 million (the most they were ever offered during the 2yrs the house been up for sale) because George Wilborn is Black?!
yeah they are racist alright.. i wouldn't give a damn if i were selling my house to bum down the street. as long as the check clears it's all good.. it won't be my house anymore..
then they try to sell it to him for $1.8 w/the house being fully furnished?! I'd sue also.. keep the damn house.. he'll find something better.. i wouldn't give their racist assess my money..
it's sad - where do racist ppl think they are going?
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By: Trudy on 8/16/2010 12:24PM
I would like to know the same question as you just asked. Where do racists people think they are going...To the Moon, To Mars, well they are not just ready yet, RLOL okay!! Then these rasists excuse me b#%&(@^!s had the unmittigated gaul after they probably found out who Mr. Wilburn and his Wife were and that could afford it, to raise the price with thier nasty used funiture in it, to probably keep them from having to move the trash and just get out with the money in their nasty trashy pockets. Mr. Wilburn my hat goes off to you and your wife. I'm so glad to know and to hear that this Respectable and Honorable Black Man did not settle for something just because it looked good at the time and he thought couldn't do without it. Because trust me Mr. Wilburn something much much better is headed your way if you have not already received it by now. And your principals are right up my alley. You Go Boiy!!! I love it. Trust me Times are changing...Please read Ezekiel 21:25-27 this hits the nail right on the head okay!!
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By: Eugene on 8/17/2010 7:41AM
dvine this is just further proof that racism is very serious mental disease and affliction.
I also with agree with you in that I could care less about the outward appearance of the person buying my home, once the check clears it is all good.
Given the fact that the economy is bad, the real estate market is even worse and the home of those sickos sat on the market for 2 years, they should have jumped at the chance to take what was the best and highest offer of $1.7 million. Unfortunately these sickos saw black instead of green (and lots of it) in making their decision not to sell, and now it looks like it will cost them in more ways then one.
Good riddance to those sickos.
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By: deelytedammit on 8/17/2010 11:16AM
I'm very sure the community had a lot to do with it. Many white folks are threatened from selling their homes to blacks. These type of communities are tight knit and in order to keep blacks out, they devise all manner of threats to keep home owners to sell to blacks. I guess they would have been happier selling to the Charles Mansion family. Im sure they would feel MUCH SAFER!. . .lol
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By: texthereok on 8/17/2010 4:58PM
What a ignorant man the seller that is.Loyalty to a wrong cause.Racist stick together.The amazing thing is they are bold enough to say no black buyers.Good luck in court George.
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By: Ewie on 8/18/2010 4:22AM
Hey deelytedammit,
I agree with you. I have known homeowners organizations that would have code words written into their association contract. The way i found out about it was that a friend of mine who happens to be white refused to sign the homeowner contract when she recognized what the code words meant, She did not move into the neighborhood. When a black couple finally moved into the neighborhood they were there about 2-3 months before this lady from the neighborhood wrote all over their 2 car garage doors. N...go home....N. get out ect..... When the police FINALLY arrested the woman they charged her with defacing property, but gave her a pass claiming she was mentally ill.... sheeeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzzz
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By: zhengka2b on 8/19/2010 10:04AM
Serious charges of racial discrimination have been laid out against a Chicago couple for refusing to sell their home to a black comedian and his family. Apparently, the family's real estate agent informed government officials that the couple chose not to sell their home to the comedian because he is black. My boyfriend thinks the same with me. He is eight years older than me, lol. We met online at agelessmat e.c om a nice and free place for younger women and older men, or older women and younger men, to interact with each other. Maybe you wanna check out or tell your friends.
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By: Meschelle Byerly on 8/24/2010 2:29AM
With great sadness I must write about racism and how it is alive in the corporate world. I was travelling back from the east coast into SFO and the buzz was about a black female southwest employee being called a "black bi*ch" by a white passenger and that passenger was able to take a later flight. This white passenger was being assisted by asian and white southwest employees who obviously did not care about the effects their actions would have on their co worker. This is just sad. I am sure Southwest Airlines will cover this up! I hope this woman come forward with the whole story and expose southwest airlines for who they truly are!
Meschelle Byerly
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By: interesting on 8/16/2010 11:01AM
It's funny that if Wilborn & his family had been replaced by a homosexual/couple, and the woman refused to sell her house to them, this news would've been over every news station, magazine, and newspaper already. Furthermore, they would probably already be on tv doing interviews. It's a shame that the only discrimination that matters in today's is "gay discrimination"
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By: really on 8/17/2010 10:21AM
oh, your right about that one..
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