The U.S. Department of Justice announced a settlement signed with the local authority in Atlantic Beach, New York, following a legal battle waged by the local Chabad house after it claimed it was prevented from opening a religious center in a commercial property. An investigation launched following the complaint revealed that the local authority's zoning regulations discriminated against religious institutions that were required to obtain a special permit. Under the agreement, the local authority committed to amending the law and allowing the establishment of religious institutions freely in residential areas without the need for special approvals.