Local Landlord Doug Waterbury, Accused Of Sexual Harassment

The Palladium-Times recently recovered police reports that detail allegations of sexual harassment against Doug Waterbury, a landlord in Oswego.

This adds to previous claims of harassment that Waterbury is currently facing in federal court.
According to The Palladium-Times report, police have investigated Waterbury three times or more since 2014, after women reportedly accused him of making sexual overtures during apartment showings. However, the report specifies that Waterbury’s actions did not violate New York state law, and he was not charged.
Waterbury is the owner of the Sylvan Beach Amusement Park and the Sterling Renaissance Festival, as well as 50 other properties in Oswego County, many of them being homes he rents out.
According to a complaint written by CNY Fair Housing, provided by Courthouse News, CNY Fair Housing Inc. has brought charges against Waterbury in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York on behalf of six women who allege that Waterbury assaulted them in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act as well as the New York state Human Rights Law.
“Defendants [Waterbury] prey upon women who need low-rent housing by routinely conferring housing benefits because of, or conditioning rental terms on, a woman’s willingness to perform sexual favors for Defendant Waterbury,” CNY Fair Housing said in the complaint.
According to both The Palladium-Times and Courthouse News, Waterbury has repeatedly declined to comment on the allegations, which also name his companies Ontario Realty Inc. and Empire Attractions.