Agency Attorney L3 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, the appointment of 7-a Administrators, and is a statutory party in tenant-initiated proceedings.

The Anti-Harassment Unit (AHU) is a unit in HLD that focuses on building conditions related to tenant harassment, and construction-related harassment. AHU analyzes data to identify buildings and portfolios of buildings where harassment is occurring or likely to occur. AHU engages with tenants and communities through its enforcement efforts to address harassment, which include field inspections, research, and litigation, where warranted.

Your Role:

As an Agency Attorney L3, Managing Attorney, for the AHU under the direction of the Assistant Commissioner and/or Supervising Attorney in the AHU, the selected candidate’s responsibilities will include, but not be limited to, the following:

Your responsibilities:

- Serving as a Senior Staff Attorney litigating cases on behalf of HPD’s 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;
- Litigating complex cases and handling matters having significant financial, procedural and policy consequences involving issues involving housing maintenance and tenant harassment;
- Executing difficult and involved negotiations on behalf of the agency, including conferencing disputes between landlords and tenants regarding housing maintenance and tenant harassment;
- Preparing and reviewing complex briefs, motions, legal opinions, affidavits and other legal papers related to housing code violations;
- Preparing for and conducting trials and other hearings, including interviewing potential witnesses, preparing testimony, and gathering documentary evidence;
- Reviewing and assessing cases on merit and preparing memoranda with recommendations;
- Assisting Supervising Attorney with administrative work for the unit;
- Supervising attorneys, including but not limited to reviewing, revising and approving agreements, advising and assisting with identifying and commencing harassment cases and supporting attorneys conducting trials involving tenant harassment;
- Advising on legal aspects of enforcement and administration of acts, rules, laws and regulations.
- Working closely with the AHU team to identify potential targets for litigation.

1. Admission to the New York State Bar; and either "2" or "3" below.
2. One year of satisfactory United States legal experience subsequent to admission to any state bar; or
3. Six months of satisfactory service as an Agency Attorney Interne (30086).
Incumbents must remain Members of the New York State Bar in good standing for the duration of this employment.
In addition to meeting the minimum Qualification Requirements:
To be assigned to Assignment Level (AL) II, candidates must have one year of experience at Assignment Level I or two years of comparable legal experience subsequent to admission to the bar, in the areas of law related to the assignment. To be assigned to AL III candidates must have two years of experience in Assignment Levels I and/or II or three years of comparable legal experience subsequent to admission to the bar, in the areas of law related to the assignment.

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.