Real estate magnate Donald Sterling sued for alleged housing discrimination

LOS ANGELES (AP) Southern California real estate magnate Donald Sterling allegedly ordered staff to rent his apartments at two complexes only to Korean tenants, according to a federal lawsuit filed Thursday.

Sterling, the lawsuit claims, told his staff he did not like blacks and Hispanics, allegedly stating that ``Hispanics smoke, drink and just hang around the building.''

The suit, which seeks at least $750,000 in damages and fair housing training for staff, was filed by the Housing Rights Center, a nonprofit organization.

Sterling, who owns the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team, did not return a phone call Thursday seeking comment on the lawsuit.

In its complaint, the Housing Rights Center alleges Sterling informed staff members at a May 2002 meeting that he wanted ``to rent his apartments only to those tenants who are Korean.''

The two buildings cited in the suit comprise 405 apartment units. The name of one, the Mark Wilshire Tower, was later changed to the Korean World Towers to reflect the new policy, the lawsuit said.

The suit also alleged that non-Korean staff were forced out of their jobs, black tenants were required to sign-in when entering the building and notices to a crime-prevention meeting were written only in Korean.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)