Joyner passes
major housing law
Attorney Advertising
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Law to help those with limited English skills
BRONX TIMES R 10 EPORTER, AUGUST 7-13, 2020 BTR
BY JASON COHEN
Assemblywoman Latoya Joyner
has won passage of state legislation
that will enhance access to New York
City’s housing for those with limited
English language skills.
This measure is particularly important
as New York’s housing courts
are reopening and many tenants face
the possibility of eviction.
Titled the Housing Court Equity
Act of 2020, it will level the playing
fi eld for tenants who are more
comfortable using languages other
than English.
“The use of English-only documents
in our city’s housing courts has
proven to be a barrier for a growing
number of New Yorkers and often leads
to landlords having the upper hand as
tenants have the deck stacked against
them,” Assemblywoman Joyner said.
“The result has left many tenants facing
an uphill battle as they strive to
keep their homes and avoid the tragedy
of homelessness. Unscrupulous
landlords exploit circumstances as
tenants struggle to understand documents
that are written in a language
that they may not fully understand
— and the dire consequences impact
far too many families throughout
our city.”
The bill requires that key housing
court documents not just be provided
to tenants in English, but in Spanish
and the six other most common languages
in New York City. Litigants in
housing court will also be advised that
they have the right to have all court
proceedings and any settlements interpreted
for them orally so they
can understand a settlement before
agreeing to it.
“Landlords have been able to exploit
the fact that an increasing number
of tenants have limited English
language skills and that’s truly troubling
in a city that’s home to so many
immigrants from all over the world,”
Joyner said. “A majority of residents
in my Bronx community speak Spanish
or have families that immigrated
from the African continent where English
is not commonly spoken. We need
to ensure that they’re able to fully exercise
their rights in housing court
and don’t face undue barriers.”
Joyner added, “My district is not
alone with statistics showing that
there are 5.5 million New Yorkers
who are not-native English speakers
and 2.5 million New Yorkers with
limited English profi ciency,” she continued.
“As a result, millions of New
Yorkers are fi nding that the scales of
justice are tilted against them each
and every day. The Housing Court
Equity Act of 2020 levels the playing
fi eld and balances the scales of justice
for many New Yorkers faced with
language barriers.”
The bill has has passed both houses
of the state legislature and will be sent
to Governor Andrew Cuomo for signature
later this year.
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Latoya Joyner has won passage of state legislation that will enhance access to New York
City’s housing for those with limited English language skills. Courtesy of Facebook of AM Joyner