There will be no José Milton Way in Miami-Dade County — at least not for now.
Miami-Dade commissioners backed away from the previously approved street naming on Wednesday, two days after the Milton family’s real estate businesses were again sued for racial discrimination.
“Until the court renders an opinion over that, I feel that it is inappropriate to move forward with that decision to name the street,” Miami-Dade Commission Chairman Jean Monestime told his colleagues.
The new lawsuit accuses two Milton family companies of discouraging blacks from renting at a North Miami Beach apartment complex by falsely telling them that no apartments were available or quoting inflated, inaccurate rental prices in an effort to discourage the black renters from consider living there.
The new lawsuit doesn’t involve José Milton directly — he died two years ago. The family real estate business is now run by Milton’s sons, who vigorously deny the latest allegations. In a letter sent to at least one county commissioner, Cecil Milton wrote that there is “no merit” to the suit.