Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_15-cv-04871/USCOURTS-cand-5_15-cv-04871-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 443
Nature of Suit: Civil Rights Accommodations
Cause of Action: 42:405 Fair Housing Act

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN JOSE DIVISION

JOHN FUNG, et al.,

Plaintiffs,

v.

PATRICE JOHNSON RAY, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No. 15-cv-04871-BLF 

ORDER GRANTING MOTION TO 

DISMISS FILED BY DEFENDANTS 

MOSKOWITZ AND INTERO WITH 

LEAVE TO AMEND

[Re: ECF 12]

For the reasons stated on the record at the hearing on March 24, 2016 and summarized 

herein, the motion to dismiss filed by Defendants Daniel Moskowitz and Intero Real Estate 

Services, Inc. is GRANTED WITH LEAVE TO AMEND.

This action arises out of a landlord’s alleged abusive treatment of and, ultimately, eviction 

of two tenants suffering from serious mental health issues despite accepting their rent payments. 

After being homeless for several years, Plaintiffs John Fung and Lynette Mason entered into a 

one-year written lease for a single family home through the assistance of the Catholic Charities of 

Santa Clara County and a Section 8 housing subsidy program. Plaintiffs allege that although they 

had leased the entire premises, the property owner – Defendant Patrice Johnson Ray – permitted 

Plaintiffs access only to the garage while continuing to reside in the house itself. Ray also listed 

the property for sale through Defendant Daniel Moskowitz, a real estate agent with Defendant 

Intero Real Estate Service, Inc. Plaintiffs allege that Moskowitz discriminated against and 

conspired to discriminate against Plaintiffs on the basis of their mental health issues, and acted as 

Ray’s agent with respect to tenancy negotiations between Ray and Plaintiffs. Plaintiffs assert

nineteen claims against Ray, Moskowitz, and Intero under federal and state law.

Case 5:15-cv-04871-BLF Document 43 Filed 03/24/16 Page 1 of 2
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

Moskowitz and Intero move to dismiss the complaint under Federal Rule of Procedure 

12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. As it observed at the 

hearing, the Court is not persuaded by moving parties’ arguments that this case is solely a 

landlord-tenant dispute and that Moskowitz and Intero cannot be held liable for any of the alleged 

conduct. However, the Court concludes that Plaintiffs have not pled with sufficient particularity 

what facts give rise to liability against Moskowitz and Intero on each claim alleged against them. 

While a complaint need only include “a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the 

pleader is entitled to relief,” Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2), it “should ‘fully set forth who is being sued, 

for what relief, and on what theory, with enough detail to guide discovery,’” Salazar v. Cnty. of 

Orange, No. 12-56545, 564 Fed. Appx. 322, 322 (9th Cir. Mar. 18, 2014) (quoting McHenry v. 

Renne, 84 F.3d 1172, 1177 (9th Cir. 1996)) (alteration omitted). While the complaint’s 

background section contains specific allegations regarding each defendant’s conduct, the claims 

themselves are devoid of such allegations, leaving the Court to guess which factual allegations 

Plaintiffs intend to support which claims. This deficiency is exacerbated by Plaintiffs’ inclusion 

of Moskowitz and Intero as defendants to claims that clearly may be brought only against the 

landlord, Ray. 

Accordingly, the motion to dismiss is GRANTED WITH LEAVE TO AMEND as to all 

claims set forth in the complaint. Plaintiffs shall file any amended pleading on or before April 15, 

2016. Leave to amend is limited to the claims alleged in the original complaint; Plaintiffs may not 

add claims or parties without express leave of the Court.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: March 24, 2016

 ______________________________________

BETH LABSON FREEMAN

United States District Judge

Case 5:15-cv-04871-BLF Document 43 Filed 03/24/16 Page 2 of 2