0:00 → 0:29(30s)
New York City Council Oversight hearing on the Right to Counsel (RTC) program in housing court. HRA/Office of Civil Justice officials briefed the committee on an upcoming public five-year strategic plan, data improvements, procurement timing and contract design changes (including ending rollover counting), and staffing/funding constraints. Independent Budget Office (IBO) presented a report finding eligibility for RTC has grown substantially while funding and provider capacity have not kept pace, driving a drop in full representation. Housing court judges described operational strains and recommended court-level changes (intake, ADA access, facility improvements). Nonprofit legal-service providers and tenant advocates urged immediate funding increases, contract fixes (restore rollovers, end 10% withholding, raise case rates) and better intake processes; multiple tenants testified about court access problems and delays for “one-shot” rental assistance.
