Gothamist: As Civil Courts Reopen, Tenant Advocates Fear Coronavirus Could Spread In A Busy Housing Court

“Tenant advocates also have many outstanding questions. A group of them are calling on OCA to postone all phases of the reopening of the city’s civil and housing courts amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and Black Lives Matter demonstrations, until there’s a thorough safety plan informed by health experts and stakeholders.

“Reopening the courts prematurely would compound and exacerbate the worst impacts of the coronavirus outbreak,” they wrote in a letter sent to the state’s chief administrative judge. Their coalition of 19 groups includes the Legal Aid Society, Legal Services NYC, Bronx Defenders,Brooklyn Defender Services, Neighborhood Defender Services, and others.”

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