The cost of this measure should be minimal because little or no hardware would need to be purchased and it should only involve creating links to the Courts database. For example, if a tenant is awarded a 90 percent rent abatement for repair problems, a TSB will report the disposition of that case simply as a judgment against the tenant for the remaining 10 percent of the rent. Please do not leave credit card information on the voicemail. Phone Number. The opinion affirms that GALs who do not accept a fee for their service are volunteers participating in a state-sponsored volunteer program. Our work turns vision into action through rigorous analysis, strategy development, and implementation planning. However, the Task Force believes that implementation of these procedures will substantially improve access to justice for litigants with diminished capacity. 2015 All Rights Reserved, NYC is a trademark and service mark of the City of New York, Human Resources Administration / Department of Social Services, DSS Office of the First Deputy Commissioner, HRA Office of Employment & Support Services Administration, DSS Offices of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Equal Employment Opportunity, HRA Office of Homelessness Prevention Administration (HPA), DSS Office of Program Performance & Financial Management, DSS Office of Information Technology Services. Janet L. Blakeman, a counsel in the personal planning group at Patterson, Belknap, served as a guardian ad litem to a young woman with cerebral palsy living in a rent-controlled apartment. Conferees examined the Courts role in responding not only to the legal questions that come before it, such as housing conditions, holdovers and non-payment of rent, but also to the myriad social and financial problems that underlie many Housing Court casesproblems that if unaddressed can and do lead to homelessness. Tell an HRA Worker or call us at 718-557-1399. myBenefits Live outside of NYC? All Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests to the Human Resources Administration should be submitted via NYC OpenRecords (nyc.gov/openrecords). 21 at 5 (Richmond Co. Dist. Keiley Gaston Senior Analyst. Instructions to Complete the Disabled, Aged, and Blind (DAB) Renewel Notification Form (MAP-2096P), Guide to Complete Your Medicaid Renewel Forms, These forms may be needed for legally responsible relatives or to declare or change an authorized representative, Applicant/Recipient Declaration Concerning LLR Income-Resources (MAP-2161), Medicaid Authorized Representative Designation/Change Request (DOH-5247). Early in the proceedings, the judge had sent a court resource assistant to the apartment to conduct an inspection. William J. You can also find fact sheets and brochures to better understand your health insurance and coverage options under ACA. Civil Court currently has a request pending for the hiring of one social worker under the OCA budget. Ct. N.Y. Co.); Hotel Preservation v. Byrne, Mar. If they lose their apartment, they are unlikely to find other housing in the current housing market. Call the HRA Medicaid Helpline at 888-692-6116 for more information. Indoor solicitations include contributions taken in a public space, or the operation of a thrift shop, rummage sale, book sale, bazaar and sale of tickets for fundraising purposes. Her ward was a Vietnam veteran, now in his sixties. In approving a $1.9 million class action settlement filed against First American Registry, Inc. (a company that purchases Housing Court data from OCA) under federal and state consumer protection laws, Judge Kaplan noted that he was troubled because the settlement leaves First Americans business model essentially intact. Under the terms of the settlement, a $100 payment will be made to any tenant who was the subject of a report issued by First American since the suits filing in 2004. By calling HRAs Staff Emergency phone number at (718) 246-7659 you will be given general Agency information. In the event that the Judge requires the submission of the GAL Case Summary, the Judge may order such on the Order Appointing a GAL form (CIV-GP-l12-02/07). The staff provides the following eviction/homelessness prevention services on a daily basis to the Court, to non-public assistance and public assistance clients, and to the legal/community-based organizations doing business with the Court on behalf of clients: HRA should participate in regularly scheduled meetings with Housing Court Judges. Some Task Force members felt that there is a strong argument to be made that under New York law, individuals serving as GALs are entitled to quasi-judicial immunity. Docket/case information and case filings are available to attorneys and litigants in the federal court system and should similarly be made available in Housing Court. In. ), Other Documents/Reports (please specify):____________________, Met with litigant with diminished capacity (indicate dates):________________________, Litigants attorney ________________________, Litigants family members _________________________, ___________________________________________________________________, Contact welfare agency for reinstatement of benefits, Contact welfare agency for Emergency One-Shot grant, Relocation: ______________________________________________, Other: __________________________________________________, Comments: ____________________________________________________________, _____________________________________________________________, If yes, explain why ___________________________________________________________, Nonpayment settled without judgment and warrant, Other (describe) ________________________________________, By: _______________________________________________________. For help applying, please see this list of facilitated enrollers. In order to encourage private law firm involvement and to streamline the GAL certification process, the Housing Court under Justice Fishers leadership is developing an abbreviated training program and video for pro bono private attorneys who work with legal services providers and serve as GALs. V.K., Mar, 3, 1999, NYLJ, pg. (929) 221-5277 Deputy Chief of Staff - Peta-Gayle White (929) 221-8678 Senior Advisor, Strategic Initiatives - Jamar Hooks (929) 221-6681 Senior Advisor, Housing & Homelessness - Sara Zuiderveen (929) 221-6466 Senior Advisor to DSS First Deputy Commissioner - Peta-Gaye A. Daniel (929) 221-6393 Divisions DSS Office of the First Deputy She served as a guardian ad litem on behalf of a woman seeking post-eviction relief who had been hospitalized at the time of the court proceedings. Name of Judge and date Judge approved stipulation: __________________________, Copyright 2023 New York County Lawyers Association. A GAL Case Summary should not be placed in a court file unless the form is made a sealed record, as the form may contain personal information which should not be made available to the general public. HRAs Records Access Officer:Samantha Arena, Esq.Associate General Counsel150 Greenwich Street, 38th Fl., New York, NY 10007[emailprotected], HRAs Records Appeals Officer:Ann Marie Scalia, Esq.Records Appeals Officer150 Greenwich Street, 38th Fl., New York, NY 10007[emailprotected]. We are likewise convinced this will not happen unless the bench and bar take a leadership role in educating the general public and policymakers about the critical importance of this step and the impossibility of delivering justice rather than injustice in. During the COVID-19 Emergency, applications may be submitted via fax to 917-639-0732. Access to the E-Courts website should be provided on the Court Terminals and a direct link should be created to E-Courts on the welcome page of the New York City Housing Court website. During the COVID-19 emergency, Medicaid cases with authorization ending in March 2020 through December 2020 and January 2021 through December 2022 will be automatically extended. During the COVID-19 Emergency, applications may be submitted via fax to 917-639-0732. NYCLA subsequently created the NYCLA Task Force on the Housing Court (hereinafter Task Force), co-chaired by Professor Paula Galowitz and Hon. Therefore, increasing private bar participation as, GALs is a way to increase the number of and overall quality of. The opinion affirms that GALs who do not accept a fee for their service are volunteers participating in a state-sponsored volunteer program. In their capacity as guardians ad litem, lawyers can perform a critical role in assisting people in great need. During its discussion of this issue, the Task Force was informed that Civil Court does not have resources allocated under the current budget to add social workers to Court staff. Himmelstein McConnell Gribben Donoghue & Joseph, Administrative Judge, Civil Court of the City of NY, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, New York City Department of Homeless Services, New York City Department of Ho using Preservation & Development, Executive Director, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, New York City Human Resources Administration, Sale of Electronic Housing Court Data by OCA. Oneida v. Unczur, 37 A.D.2d 480, 326 N.Y.S.2d 458 (4th Dept 1971); State of New York v. Getelman, Sept. 7, 1993, NYLJ, pg. This Report addresses the work of the Resources Subcommittee, which was chaired by Lisa E. Cleary with Justin Kaufman serving as secretary. Each and every stipulation recommended by a GAL should be reviewed by the Judge, A Judge should insure that stipulations recommended by GALs. Clients do not need to provide proof of their Medicare application; this requirement is waived for the period of the COVID-19 emergency. Pro se litigants now have improved access to court papers, forms for answers and routine motions, excellent publications about legal claims and defenses, and other written materials that provide information to pro se litigants in Housing Court. Medicaid clients who have case changes that require additional documentation should use the MAP-751W form below. Alex Henao The guardian ad litem and MFY lawyer also visited the clients apartment so that they could monitor the landlords compliance with the judges order and provide status updates to the Court. Given the great strides the Housing Court has made in providing the above resources and assistance to, litigants, the Resources Subcommittee focused on other types of resources that would also improve access to justice for Housing Court litigants. This Report was prepared by the Task Force Subcommittee on Resources in Housing Court. Developed a plan to assist the ward in obtaining repairs, monies or other assistance needed to comply with the proposed stipulation. citizens, whether rich, poor, or something in between. GAL Case Summary forms should not be placed in the court file unless the file is made a sealed record. The New York City Human Resources Administration/Department of Social Services (HRA/DSS) is dedicated to fighting poverty and income inequality by providing New Yorkers in need with essential benefits such as Food Assistance and Emergency Rental Assistance. This work should be credited as pro bono work. Jazmin Harper Senior Analyst. Ms. Brandner met with his psychiatrist at St. Lukes and met with his parents. The responsibility for insuring that a stipulation settling the case of a person for whom a GAL has been appointed is appropriate rests ultimately with the Judge who so orders the stipulation. In May 2021. each City agency was required to submit a report to the Mayoral Restart Taskforce per DCAS' guidance, Managing the Return to the Office in the Age of COVID-19, updated March 2021. Jacqueline M. Brandner, a litigator at Patterson, Belknap, served as a guardian ad litem to a 47-year-old man who, for 23 years, had lived in a very small room in an SRO. City of New York. The New York State Office of Court Administration (OCA) sells data about eviction cases brought in the New York City Housing Court to Tenant Screening Bureaus (TSB), which use the data to prepare tenant-screening reports that they sell to prospective landlords who want to determine if an applicant was sued by a prior landlord. Upon request by the local bar, provided that attorneys agree to share the cost of purchase and maintenance, facsimile machines should be provided, where feasible, in the counties that do not yet have them (New York, Queens and Staten Island). Contact HRA - HRA Contact Phone Numbers General: Infoline 718-557-1399 Adult Protective Services: 212-630-1853 Child Support Helpline: 888-208-4485 Disability Affairs: 718-291-4141 The Task Force believes it would be useful for Housing Court Judges to be able to request reports that track cases by using metrics such as: Guardian Ad Litem appointments; judge; address of property/building at issue; attorney; default judgments that have been vacated with cases restored to the calendar; executed warrants, etc. The MBI-WPD program does not offer family coverage. Guardians Ad Litem are mandated to complete a, form CIV-LT-57 (2000) for each case where they are the appointed. Participants in the MBI-WPD program don't have to pay a spenddown. After the Conference, NYCLA issued a Report (available on the NYCLA website at http://www.nycla.org/siteFiles/Publications/Publicationsl95__0.pdf), which contained recommendations and proposals for reform, including establishment of a right to counsel in Housing Court for parties unable to afford counsel, as a means to reduce homelessness in New York City; improved resources, especially for litigants of diminished capacity; and establishment of Protocols and Best Practices (or standards) for more active oversight by judges of cases in which a pro se party is opposed by a represented party. TSB reports are often inaccurate, incomplete and/or misleading. In response to the Civil Court of the City of New Yorks request for an opinion on the issue, April 6, 2006, the New York State Attorney General (AG) issued an opinion stating that volunteer GALs, certified by the Court through its GAL Program, are eligible for defense and indemnification by the State under Section 17(1 )(a) of the Public Officers Law. In order to encourage private law firm involvement and to streamline the GAL certification process, the Housing Court under Justice Fishers leadership is developing an abbreviated training program and video for, private attorneys who work with legal services providers and serve as GALs. Since its inception, NYCLA has been at the forefront of most legal debates in the country. If the requested information is provided, coverage will be extended for 6 months. To shorthand it, as U.S. District Court Judge Robert Sweet said in a 1997 speech delivered at the Association of the Ear of the City of New York, we need a Civil Gideon, that is, an expanded constitutional right to counsel in civil.matters, Lawyers, and lawyers for all, are essential to the functioning of an effective justice system.. A valuable pro bono role can be performed by lawyers through service as a guardian. This Report was approved by the Board of Directors of the New York County Lawyers Association at its regular meeting on February 5, 2007. To help people who do not have resources, or access to assistance, is a great privilege for me.. The two roles are distinct, as are the obligations.. Conferees examined the Courts role in responding not only to the legal questions that come before it, such as housing conditions, holdovers and non-payment of rent, but also to the myriad social and financial problems that underlie many Housing Court casesproblems that if unaddressed can and do lead to homelessness. The Task Force acknowledges that procedures set forth below do not address all conflicts that may arise between a GAL and a litigant. forms should not be placed in the court file unless the file is made a sealed record. When the landlord pushed for the case to go to trial, the guardian ad litem contacted MFY to provide legal representation for Ms. G. The guardian also contacted charitable organizations to seek rental assistance for his ward. Gary P. Jenkins was appointed by Mayor Eric Adams as the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Social Services (DSS), which oversees both the Human Resources The court appointed a guardian ad litem to assist her. NYC Human Resources Administration Employee Directory NYC Human Resources Administration has 319 employees. **Note that if you are signing an authorization form or requesting records or information on anothers behalf, you must also submit valid proof of authority to do so. Click here to learn how to apply. However, we currently have listings which are above and beyond the minimum requirements of FOIL in that our intranet contains up-to-date listings in its content services repository of all of the agency programs, Policy Bulletins, Policy Directives, Center Director Memorandums, Informational, Executive Orders, forms, notices, statistical reports, etc. (See Appendix C.). Sale of Electronic Housing Court Data by OCA. To this end, Lisa Cleary contacted William Dean, who writes a regular column in the, Digest. Mr. Deans article appeared in the July 3, 2006 edition of the, Standardize Procedures in Cases Where GALs Are Appointed for Respondents with Diminished Capacity, Indemnification/Immunity for Pro Bono GALs, There is a diversity of opinion among private attorneys with regard to whether private legal malpractice insurance will cover work performed as a. GAL in Housing Court.