Madeline Reichman explains CCHR unique housing role and staffing shortage

The Commission on Human Rights has such an important role to play, particularly in housing, because under federal and state law,

housing providers can't be held liable for failing to make physical modifications to the building unless the tenant is willing to fund those modifications.

And only if they're feasible.

So the city human rights law is unique in imposing these obligations on landlords and requiring landlords to pay for modifications to buildings.

And the need for modifications to older rent-stabilized buildings in the city is only going to increase as our population ages in place.

These tenants come to Legal Aid Society for help.

Again, we cannot take all of these cases.

And many of these tenants rely on Social Security disability income and cannot afford to pay private attorneys to litigate these cases, making the commission one of their only options.

I do want to flag that.

that in homeless shelters, we would like to see more commission enforcement.

The majority of people in shelter have disability access needs that are not getting met despite systemic reforms in the system brought about by our class action litigation.

And then just to touch on staffing at the commission,

It's the sole government agency enforcing the city human rights law, and it's a right-to-file agency, but it simply does not have enough staff to effectively fulfill this mandate.

We heard earlier that currently there are 13 agency attorneys, I believe, and altogether nine staffers in the pre-complaint intervention unit.

Which is simply not enough staff to secure quick relief for all of the complainants who come to the commission for help for immediate necessary accommodations.

Investing in the commission's enforcement capacity ensures that the protections guaranteed under the law are real for New Yorkers with disabilities.

Thank you.