Return to the courthouse and submit a document entitled Show Cause Order. This will reopen your file. Take enough time to clear security, find the right courtroom and check in. It`s best to be in your courtroom at 9:30 a.m. – or at your trial time, which may be in the afternoon. If you receive court documents that your landlord is trying to evict you, or a notice from the housing court that plans to appear in an eviction case, you should talk to a lawyer who can advise you on what you need to do next to protect your rights as a tenant. Contact the court-appointed and independent Ombudsman Call Center (OCC) at 888-341-7152 or ombnyc.com. They receive another hearing date and appear before the judge again. Bring all old photos and all new photos to show that the problem has gotten worse. Don`t be afraid to be persistent. On the back of the photos, write the date you took it, a description of the photo, and the name of the person who took the photo. If the person who took the photo is not you, make sure they are present at your hearing appointment. I was locked out of my apartment by my landlord, without a court order or warrant The NYCHA representative seems to be in a hurry.
Don`t feel pressured to follow – take your time. Contact NYCHA`s Department of Equal Opportunity (DEO) at 212-306-4468 or deo@nycha.nyc.gov. The clerk is the person responsible for keeping court records. You may or may not need to interact with the Registrar on your hearing date. Keep in mind that sometimes the clerk of the court will also be the clerk. Unfortunately, even though NYCHA has agreed to do repairs, they still can`t do them. However, if NYCHA has entered into an agreement and has not complied with it, you can sue NYCHA in court. If you need help completing the forms, consult the Responses to Housing Courts information board located in the courthouse. The person present can help you fill out the forms correctly.
They will show you how the forms work and how to describe the problems in your apartment. This is a free service. If NYCHA continues not to make repairs, you can ask the judge to keep NYCHA in “contempt of court.” It`s hard and you need a lawyer. Prior to your hearing date, your apartment will be inspected by an HPD NYC inspector. Here are some helpful tips you can use when talking to NYCHA in court. Organize your photos with JustFix, a free app that organizes photos specifically for legal proceedings. The judge will review and sign the documents. Next, the employee will set you a date and time for the HPD inspection and an appointment to return to court. You must deliver the documents on NYCHA. Be prepared to go to a post office and pay the postage. You must submit the forms as directed by the court. Make sure you understand how you should hand over the documents before you leave the court.
You can also call the housing court emergency numbers every day from 9am to 5pm. Leave a message with your phone number and a court lawyer will call you back. It`s important that you record every time you talk to NYCHA. This will come in handy if you decide to sue NYCHA. It is illegal for a landlord to evict you without bringing an eviction action against you in court or before there is a court order authorizing a commissioner to evict you. If you believe you have been illegally locked out, you can take legal action (an “illegal lockout” or “restitution of property”) in the housing court. The housing court is a busy place and things happen quickly, so don`t worry if things aren`t in order. Tenants who have not yet responded to a non-payment claim filed against them must file a response with the court.
Failure to comply with an eviction request may result in a default judgment against a tenant, which may result in eviction. A tenant who receives an eviction application from the housing court does not have to go to the courthouse to answer in person. A list of the day`s business hangs on the wall outside the courtroom. Find your name and index number on this list and inform the court official that you are there. If you cannot reach an agreement, you and the NYCHA apartment assistant will meet with the court attorney. Organize your repair list and call recording with NYCHA. Also take pictures of the problems you need to solve. Photos are very important.
This will help your case show exactly what is broken. If you are a tenant or landlord and have an ongoing dispute, including eviction, the housing court can provide you with information and help. Locations and opening hours of housing courts are also available. You`ll probably have to wait a bit. Plan to be at the courthouse at least until lunchtime. After you register, wait. During this time, listen carefully until your name is called. If you miss your name, the court may mark you as absent and rule in NYCHA`s favor. Go to your district housing court to file your case. (Bronx residents go to the Bronx Civil Court, 851 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 1045.) Asking NYCHA to do repairs can take a while, so you should ask them about all the repairs you need at once. Go through your home room by room and note: If you need an interpreter on your hearing date, let the clerk know.
It is best not to wait for your hearing date to ask for an interpreter. The sooner the better. The court lawyer will help you negotiate a settlement with NYCHA. * Bart M. Schwartz was appointed federal comptroller to ensure NYCHA meets its obligations to provide decent, safe, and hygienic accommodation. If you believe that your complaint to NYCHA has not been handled properly, you may contact the Controller by email (monitor@nychamonitor.com) or telephone (347-809-5555 or toll free at 844-309-6080).