Agency Attorney L2 for the Housing Litigation Division (HLD)

About the Agency:

The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) promotes quality and affordability in the city's housing, and diversity and strength in the city’s neighborhoods because every New Yorker deserves a safe, affordable place to live in a neighborhood they love.  

• We maintain building and resident safety and health 
• We create opportunities for New Yorkers through housing affordability 
• We engage New Yorkers to build and sustain neighborhood strength and diversity.  

HPD is entrusted with fulfilling these objectives through the goals and strategies of “Housing Our Neighbors: A Blueprint for Housing and Homelessness,” Mayor Adams’ comprehensive housing framework. To support this important work, the administration has committed $5 billion in new capital funding, bringing the 10-year planned investment in housing to $22 billion—the largest in the city’s history. This investment, coupled with a commitment to reduce administrative and regulatory barriers, is a multi-pronged strategy to tackle New York City’s complex housing crisis, by addressing homelessness and housing instability, promoting economic stability and mobility, increasing homeownership opportunities, improving health and safety, and increasing opportunities for equitable growth. 

Your Team: 

The Office of Enforcement and Neighborhood Services (OENS) leads the agency’s effort to work closely with other HPD divisions and outside community partners to identify buildings in distress, assess and develop appropriate strategies to address those properties and work closely with responsible owners to develop a plan to improve conditions and return buildings to firm financial footing and physical health. OENS uses enforcement tools within its Division of Code Enforcement, Housing Litigation Division, Emergency Operations and Enhanced Enforcement, and the Division of Neighborhood Preservation to ensure compliance with legal and regulatory obligations.

The Office of Enforcement and Neighborhood Services is composed of six divisions: Data Management & Technology (DMT), Division of Neighborhood Preservation (DNP), Administration & Internal Compliance (AIC), Housing Litigation Division (HLD), Division of Code Enforcement (DCE), and Emergency Operations and Enhanced Enforcement Division (EOD). 

Your Impact:

The Housing Litigation Division (HLD) initiates litigation against property owners in Housing Court to ensure compliance with housing standards contained in the New York City Housing Maintenance Code and New York State Multiple Dwelling Law. HLD seeks orders to correct violations, civil penalties, access warrants, 7-a Administrators and appears in tenant-initiated proceedings.

Your Role:

As an Agency Attorney L-2 for the Brooklyn Unit and under the direction of the Assistant Commissioner and/or Supervising Attorney in the Housing Litigation Division, the selected candidate's responsibilities will include, but not be limited to, the following:

Key responsibilities: 

• Serving as a Staff Attorney litigating cases on behalf of HPD’s Office of Enforcement and Neighborhood Services (OENS) to enforce the NYC Housing Maintenance Code and NYS Multiple Dwelling Law in the Housing Part of New York City Civil Court and on occasion in NYS Supreme Court;
• Executing difficult and involved negotiations on behalf of the agency;
• Researching and preparing complex briefs, motions, legal opinions, affidavits, memoranda and other legal papers and arguing them before Housing Court;
• Preparing for and conducting trials, including but not limited to preparing witnesses and documentary evidence;
• Advising on legal aspects of enforcement and administration of acts, rules, laws and regulations related to the enforcement of housing standards.

Preferred Skills:

• Admission to the New York State Bar; and either “2” or “3” below.
• One year of satisfactory United States legal experience subsequent to admission to any state bar; or
• Six months of satisfactory service as an agency Attorney Intern (30086).
• Incumbents must remain Members of the New York State Bar in good standing for the duration of this employment. 
• Knowledge of NYC Housing Maintenance Code and NYS Multiple Dwelling Law.
• Possess excellent written and verbal communication skills as well as proficiency with PC software such as Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word. 
• Knowledge of the various HPD’s internal databases, including but not limited to: HLD’s Litigation Management System (LMS) and HPDINFO.

Note:

This position may be eligible for remote work up to 2 days per week, pursuant to the Remote Work Pilot Program agreed to between the City and Local 237.