S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
1129
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
January 11, 2019
___________
Introduced by Sen. BENJAMIN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary
AN ACT to amend the New York city civil court act, in relation to
requiring the housing court to provide certain information to tenants
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 110 of the New York city civil court act is amended
by adding a new subdivision (q) to read as follows:
(Q) THE PETITIONER SHALL INCLUDE IN BOLD PRINT AT THE END OF THE PETI-
TION THE FOLLOWING NOTICE OF INFORMATION TO THE RESPONDENT:
(1) CLERKS OF THE HOUSING COURT CANNOT DETERMINE THE VALIDITY OF
CASES.
(2) RESPONDENT HAS A RIGHT TO TRIAL.
(3) THE TENANT MAY AT ANY TIME GO TO A PRO SE CLERK FOR INFORMATION
REGARDING HOUSING COURT PROCEDURE AND ASSISTANCE IN FILING COURT PAPERS.
(4) THE TENANT SHOULD ASSERT ANY DEFENSE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
TO, LACK OF NECESSARY REPAIRS AND MAY ASSERT ANY COUNTERCLAIM OR CLAIM
FOR OFFSET AGAINST RENT IN HIS OR HER ANSWER.
(5) THE TENANT MAY, BUT DOES NOT HAVE TO, REQUEST THE HOUSING, PRESER-
VATION AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE TO INSPECT THE PREMISES TO CONFIRM ANY
CLAIM OF DANGEROUS OR UNHEALTHY CONDITIONS WHICH THE TENANT BELIEVES MAY
AFFECT THE AMOUNT OF RENT DUE.
(6) THE OFFICE OF COURT ADMINISTRATION SELLS INFORMATION TO RESIDEN-
TIAL TENANT SCREENING COMPANIES, WHICH RESULTS IN THE TENANT'S NAME
APPEARING ON NATIONWIDE REPORTS SOLD BY THESE COMPANIES TO PROSPECTIVE
LANDLORDS. THIS MAY RESULT IN A TENANT BEING BLACKLISTED AND HAVING
DIFFICULTIES GETTING ANOTHER APARTMENT. INFORMATION FROM HOUSING COURT
CASES MAY ALSO BE OBTAINED BY THE MAJOR CREDIT REPORTING COMPANIES WHICH
MAY AFFECT A TENANT'S CREDIT SCORE.
(7) LEGAL FEES, LATE FEES AND ANY OTHER FEES MAY ONLY BE IMPOSED AFTER
A TRIAL BY A HOUSING JUDGE IF THEY ARE ESTABLISHED IN A WRITTEN LEASE
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06079-01-9
S. 1129 2
AND THEY ARE NOT CONSIDERED PART OF ANY RENT DUE UNLESS THE LEASE
EXPRESSLY ESTABLISHES THEM AS SUCH.
(8) ONLY A HOUSING JUDGE MAY ISSUE A WARRANT TO EVICT A TENANT AND
ONLY A MARSHAL OR SHERIFF IS AUTHORIZED TO USE FORCE TO EXECUTE A
WARRANT. THE LANDLORD AND TENANT MAY AGREE TO TERMINATE THE TENANCY
PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OR SERVICE OF A WARRANT, BUT NO ONE MAY COMPEL A
TENANT WITHOUT HIS OR HER CONSENT TO ABANDON THE TENANCY.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law.