- Filed (End of Session)
History
Res. No. 327
Resolution calling upon the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services to move the Brooklyn Housing Court to a more modern and accommodating space once its lease expires.
By Council Members Menchaca, Koo and Cohen
Whereas, According to the New York Times, the Brooklyn Housing Court currently averages approximately 3,000 visitors per day and hears almost 80,000 cases per year, making it the second busiest housing court in the City of New York following the housing court in the Bronx; and
Whereas, According to various sources the current facility is inadequate to handle such a high volume of people, is often overcrowded, and frequently has broken elevators and inadequate air-conditioning, and is inaccessible to those with disabilities; and
Whereas, The situation is so bad that a top court administrator has reportedly referred to the Brooklyn Housing Court as a "horrible courthouse," and;
Whereas, The building's landlord was on then Public Advocate Bill De Blasio's list of worst landlords; and
Whereas, The Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) is tasked with identifying and acquiring real estate on behalf of City agencies, and has been looking for a suitable site for the Brooklyn Housing Court over the last two years; and
Whereas, The lease for the building will expire at the end of May 2014 and DCAS has so far been unable to secure a new site and the landlord is attempting to keep the court housed in its current location by claiming he would invest money to ensure that the elevators run properly and acquire better air-conditioning; and
Whereas, The landlord should have made these repairs long ago, has already made it clear that he is unreliable and should not be rewarded for his failings by obtaining another long-term lease with the City; and
Whereas, If the City is unable to find a suitable alternative location before the current lease expires, the City should only enter into a short-term lease with provisions that allow the City to break the lease once a suitable location is found; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York City Department of Administrative Services to move the Brooklyn Housing Court to a more modern and accommodating space once its lease expires.
AM
LS946
5/7/2014