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The Housing Parts of the Civil Court are located: Manhattan Brooklyn Bronx Queens Staten Island Community Courts that serve specific areas of Brooklyn and Manhattan are located at: Harlem Community Justice Center (serves zip codes 10035 and 10037) Red Hook Community Justice Center For more information, visit the Housing Court web page: Each Housing Court has various services available: Help paying back rent is available if you 1) had an unexpected emergency such as a medical illness, death in your family, were laid off or lost your job or had your work hours reduced, and 2) you can afford the rent in the future. Go to the HRA office in the court to get a referral for assistance. You can also call City-Wide's rent arrears assistance hotline for a referral to a charity: 212 962 4795. If you cannot afford your rent, apply for help through HRA. You may qualify for a rent subsidy program. Other resources to help you with your case are available in each court's Resource Center, including access to the Internet. Ask the Court Clerk for the room number of the Resource Center in a particular court. The Civil Court Info Line has recorded information about the Housing Court in English and Spanish (24 hours a day) at (212) 791-6000.
The City-Wide Task Force on Housing Court, Inc. staffs information tables in each of the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens Housing Courts, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. In Staten Island the Information Table is open on Wednesday and Thursday, from 9:00-12:00 in the morning. The information is free and is available to all unrepresented litigants. Referrals will be made to neighborhood groups, legal service providers and other eviction prevention services. Each afternoon (from 2:00-5:00), you may get answers to brief questions at (212) 962 4795. The Metropolitan Council on Housing, Inc. is a citywide membership organization that assists its members and tenants, by providing information concerning housing matters including the defense of eviction proceedings. The Met Council Hotline is available on Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons from 1:30-5:30 at (212) 979 0611. LEGAL SERVICES If you have a low income, you may be eligible for free legal services (a free attorney). To get the address of the office that services your neighborhood, contact: The Legal Aid Society or Legal Services for New York City or go to lawhelp.org to find the nearest free legal services provider. If you need a referral to a lawyer and you are not eligible for free legal services contact: The Bar Association of the City of New York |
