Guardian Ad Litem Program

NYC Civil Court, Housing Part

The NYS Courts Division of Access to Justice oversees the NYC Housing Part Guardian ad Litem (GAL) Program. The GAL Program recruits, trains, and provides Housing Court Judges with a pool of GALs whose goal is to protect the rights and prevent the eviction of litigants who are unable to advocate for themselves due to age or mental health related challenges. The pool of Housing Court GALs consists of attorneys and non-attorneys alike. In some cases, GALs are compensated for their services and in other cases the GAL serves on a volunteer basis.

GALs advocate for impaired housing litigants at risk for eviction in many ways. For example, they collaborate with NYC agencies to secure needed entitlements or grants to pay for arrears, assist with re-certification problems, and arrange for heavy-duty cleanings. GALs also negotiate for repairs to be taken care of as part of a settlement. The powers of a GAL are limited and end once the Housing Court case is resolved.

The GAL Program Coordinator, a Division of Access to Justice attorney, oversees the city-wide program and collaborates with NYC agencies to address problems GALs and Judges face when trying to protect the rights of vulnerable litigants.

The GAL Program maintains a GAL website that provides helpful information to existing and prospective GALs as well as the public. The website includes a GAL litigant brochure and a GAL Information Sheet for Landlords. The GAL litigant brochure, available in English, describes the responsibilities of a housing GAL and provides information on steps a litigant may take if they have concerns regarding a GAL appointment.

In December 2016 the New York State Access to Justice Program published a white paper entitled: “Creating a Successful Court-Based Program to Safeguard Access to Justice for Mentally and Physically Impaired Litigants at Risk for Eviction”. This white paper includes discussion on what happens when there is no landlord-tenant GAL program in place to safeguard the rights of impaired litigants facing eviction, the NYC Housing Part Guardian Ad Litem Program -a model court-based program, and how judicial systems throughout the nation can seek to replicate the program. For more information, contact Laurie Milder, Esq. at 646-386-5850 or by email: [email protected].