Chicago Couple Charged in HUD Race Compaint

August 11, 2010— -- George and Peytyn Willborn said it was a dream not deferred but denied. The African-American couple had found their dream house -- an 8,000-square-foot property in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood -- that met their requirements: big closets, basketball court, five bedrooms and a home theater.

Despite agreeing on a $1.7 million purchase price, owners Daniel and Adrienne Sabbia never signed a purchase contract with the Willborns, according to a complaint that is now part of a federal housing discrimination action. The U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Tuesday that it has charged the Sabbias, their real estate agent and a real estate broker with refusing to sell their home to a black couple, a violation of the Fair Housing Act.

The complaint alleged that the Sabbias and Prudential real estate agent Jeffrey Lowe stalled negotiations and took the property off the market in January after receiving a $1.7 million offer from radio personality and comedian George Willborn and his wife, businesswoman Peytyn Willborn.

According to published reports, the house was back on the market by March and listed again for an asking price of $1.799 million.

According to the complaint, the Willborns' offer was the highest the sellers had received in the two years the property had been on the market. However, when faced with signing the sales contract, the Sabbias refused.

Dylcia Cornelious, the Willborns' agent, said while the Willborns have found another home and the closing is pending, the pain remains.

"They are absolutely still reeling from this," she said. "It's hurtful, unacceptable in this day and age. You can't choose who you can sell your home to."

Cornelious said the Willborns loved the house. "It was perfect. The children had picked out their rooms."

The complaint stated that real estate agent Lowe told Cornelious on Jan. 11 that the Sabbias had changed their minds and were taking the home off the market, despite it having been listed for sale for almost two years. Lowe gave various reasons as to why he said the Sabbias had decided not to sell, which included Adrienne Sabbia having changed her mind when the couple couldn't find a suitable new home to move to, and wanting to keep the children in their current schools.