August 5, 2021
Statement of the Legal Services Staff Association, NOLSW/UAW 2320
“It is reckless and contrary to public health for NYC to be resuming in-person housing court intake and otherwise requiring litigants and attorneys to appear in the court house en masse in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and as the rise of the Delta variant puts at risk more of our neighbors, family members, and tenants in housing court who are disproportionately poor POC and disproportionately unvaccinated. LSSA opposes this hazardous move, especially in light of the lack of necessity of these appearances—virtual conferencing and intake have occurred successfully for months. Brooklyn’s 141 Livingston housing court facility is particularly unsuited to safely host large numbers of people as the poor conditions in the courthouse have not been addressed.”