Senate Standing Committee on the Judiciary
Chair: Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal
Senate Standing Committee on Housing, Construction & Community Development
Chair: Senator Brian P. Kavanagh
Public Hearing: New York City Housing Court
Time: 10 a.m.
Place: Senate Hearing Room, 250 Broadway, 19th Floor, New York, NY
Contact: Evan Lieberman, 212-633-8052; Hally Chu, 212-298-5565
Media Contact: Jacob Ascher, (212) 633-8052
ORAL TESTIMONY BY INVITATION ONLY
NOTICE OF JOINT PUBLIC HEARING
SUBJECT: New York City Housing Court
PURPOSE: To conduct oversight of the Housing Part of the Civil Court of the City of New York in relation to code enforcement, facilities, and access to justice.
The 1972 Housing Court Act created a Housing Part within the New York City Civil Court to adjudicate landlord-tenant and code enforcement cases. Legislators hoped that the new Housing Court would be a “fair, effective and judicious forum,” staffed by specialized judges, for landlords and tenants alike.
The half-century since the Housing Court’s establishment has brought urban revitalization, substantial changes in the laws governing cases that come before the court—--including the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act (2019) and the Good Cause Eviction Law enacted last year—and major programs administered by the City of New York to provide access to counsel and to pay rent arrears when necessary to prevent evictions. However, adjudication of code enforcement cases and landlord-tenant disputes remains a challenge. Despite New York City’s 2017 “Right to Counsel” law, which aimed to provide full representation in eviction proceedings to households making less than 200% of the federal poverty line, many tenants facing eviction continue to lack legal representation. At the same time, Housing Court has acquired the same reputation for backlogs as the system it replaced. The Court’s facilities are no better. The Special Commission on the Future of the New York City Housing Court’s Report to the Chief Judge (2018) expressed “particular” concern for Brooklyn’s building, yet the Kings County Housing Court remains at 141 Livingston Street, notwithstanding a decade-long relocation effort.
This hearing will seek to assess the state of New York City’s Housing Court, including but not limited to: the efficacy of HP Parts (the courts that hear complaints about housing conditions), access to justice for unrepresented litigants, code enforcement, and court facilities.
Persons wishing to present pertinent testimony to the Committees at the above hearing should complete and return the enclosed reply form as soon as possible. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation.
Oral testimony will be limited to five minutes duration. Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committees would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements.
Attendees and participants at any legislative public hearing should be aware that these proceedings are video recorded. Their likenesses may be included in any video coverage shown on television or the internet.
In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Committees, in accordance with their policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), have made their facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to State Legislature facilities and activities.
