The NYS Attorney General provides information on a variety of tenant-related topics, including deposits, senior housing, small claims court, hiring a moving company, recent changes to NYS Tenancy Act, tenant harassment, fair housing, immigrant rights, illegal lockouts, etc. The Legal Aid Society is a private, not-for-profit legal advisory organization, the oldest and largest in the country, dedicated to providing quality legal representation to low-income New Yorkers since 1876. It is dedicated to a simple but powerful belief: no New Yorker should be denied access to justice because of poverty. This office represents tenants who live in Manhattan and who are being sued in housing court or in a termination proceeding by the New York City Housing Authority. The Civil Court of New York City has jurisdiction over civil cases up to $25,000 and other civil cases referred to it by the Supreme Court. It includes a small claims portion for informal decisions on cases up to $5,000 and a landlord and tenant/apartment portion for landlord-tenant matters of unlimited amount and housing law violations. Information about the Small Claims Court can be found on its website and in its Small Claims Guide. If you are a member of a tenants` group or association or would like information on how to form a tenants` group or association, or if you are a board member or shareholder of HDFC coop, call the Housing Justice Unit`s advocacy helpline at 212-577-7988 Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or Email HousingGrpAdv@legal-aid.org. If your landlord refuses to fix a serious or dangerous condition in your home, such as mold, peeling lead paint, or a leak, or if your landlord doesn`t provide the essential services you`re legally entitled to, such as heating, hot water, gas, electricity, or adequate security, you can file a complaint with the housing court (an HP lawsuit) to ask a judge, Ask your landlord to make these repairs. Legal advice is free, available in any zip code, and available regardless of immigration status.
If someone offers you money to leave your apartment, you should consult a lawyer before accepting money or signing an agreement. To find out if you qualify for free legal assistance, call Legal Services at 212-577-3300 or Legal Services of New York at 917-661-4500. Tenants who live in rent-controlled or rent-stabilized apartments and believe their landlords are harassing them can contact the New York State Housing and Community Renewal Division (DHCR) or call 718-739-6400. UNHCR enforces housing laws in relation to these rent-regulated units. The OCJ has partnered with Legal Services to provide tenants in New York City with free access to telephone legal advice and information. Under New York City`s Right to Attorneys Act (RTC), the DSS/HRA Office of Civil Justice (OCJ) offers tenants facing eviction in housing court or NYCHA administrative proceedings free access to legal representation and advice from nonprofit legal aid organizations in all five boroughs. Various organizations offer information to help tenants and landlords file an application or prepare for a housing court. For more information, see the links below.
If you are facing an eviction case, the CJO may provide free legal assistance through our non-profit legal service providers to provide you with legal representation or other assistance in your housing court case under city law to a lawyer. “Harassment” is any act or omission by a landlord or landlord`s representative that results or intends for a person legally entitled to live in a room or apartment to waive their room or apartment or their tenancy rights. In upstate New York, tenant harassment can be a felony or misdemeanor. In New York City, tenant harassment is also a violation of housing law, and tenants can sue their landlord in housing court if they are harassed. Harassment by a landlord is illegal. Examples of acts that may constitute harassment include denial of services and persistent physical or psychological intimidation. For OCJ legal advice on tenant housing, please call 311 and ask for the City`s Tenant Helpline. HPD works with non-profit organizations that provide fair housing services throughout the city. These organizations can advise property owners and tenants on their rights and obligations under various housing and discrimination prevention laws.
explanation of housing court procedures; help seniors complete applications for rent increases for seniors; Help low- and middle-income tenants find housing and organize fair housing workshops. Fair housing advisors can also help resolve disputes between landlords and tenants in the building. After decades of continued loss of affordable housing in New York City, many low-income New Yorkers are facing a desperate situation as they try to preserve their homes. Through the work of our housing units, Legal Services NYC is at the forefront of the fight to prevent evictions, maintain affordable housing, and keep our clients` homes safe. Our work includes: The fastest way to find out if you qualify for free legal aid in a housing matter is to call your district legal aid neighbourhood office: If you believe you have been illegally excluded from your home by your landlord, the OCJ can provide you with free legal services through our not-for-profit legal service providers. to assist you in the context of an “illegal lockout” in housing court. 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. Tenants may have a basis to file a harassment lawsuit against the landlord in the housing court. Tenants should consult a lawyer before taking legal action.
Tenants who cannot afford representation may be eligible for free or low-cost legal aid from the Legal Aid Society. HPD`s Fair Housing Advisors can also provide tenants with resource information. Dial 311 for more information. All tenants who are currently subject to an eviction order are eligible, regardless of their postal code, immigration status, or whether the tenant has previously refused or was not eligible for legal representation under the universal access program, and regardless of household income under an income exemption from the CJOC. OCJ`s helpline is available Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to provide legal advice and telephone information to New York tenants who need help with legal questions regarding rent, lease, or other landlord-tenant matters. If you are faced with a request from your landlord to make an eviction order against you, the OCJ can provide you with free legal services through our not-for-profit legal service provider partners under the City`s Right to Counsel Act. Are you facing eviction in housing court or are you facing seizure in the Supreme Court? Are you threatened with eviction in NYCHA apartments or are you trying to sue for reparations? Do you need help with other housing problems? Are you homeless? You may be entitled to free legal assistance. In upstate New York, a lender must file a lawsuit in the Supreme Court and obtain a foreclosure order against a homeowner who has not paid the mortgage. The landlord is legally entitled to collect rents and enter into leases until the foreclosure ends in an auction when the building is sold to a new owner or retained by the lender.
By law, landlords cannot deny prospective tenants housing based on race, color, religion, nationality, sex, sexual preference, age, marital status, disability, immigration status, legal profession, or source of income. In addition, tenants cannot be refused the apartment because their children live or will live with them. Tenants who believe they have experienced discrimination in housing can file a complaint within one year of the incident by calling 311 and joining the New York City Commission on Human Rights (CCHR). My apartment needs serious repairs and my landlord won`t, or I have other questions about my housing situation If you are a tenant and you have questions about harassment from your landlord, repairs to your apartment or building, or your rights as a tenant, please call 311 and ask for the Tenant Helpline or visit the City`s online resource portal for tenants. for information and access to resources for New York City tenants. including free legal advice from the OCJ`s not-for-profit legal service providers. The justice system can be overwhelming. Familiarize yourself with some legal terms and acronyms you may hear, such as appeal, adjournment, petition, jurisdiction, testimony, and affidavit. This page contains information and links to help tenants and landlords with a variety of topics: From now until at least 1. In May 2021, New York City tenants who meet the following requirements will be eligible for the HRA Family Homelessness Eviction Prevention Supplement (FHEPS) program before your landlord sues you to evict you for non-payment of rent.