The effects of the COVID pandemic are still lingering in an unlikely place – New York City Housing Court.
Many people are calling it “housing court hell” as they experience delays and backups that are pushing them to verge of bankruptcy.
What they thought would take months to get a resolution in court has turned into years. That’s partly because the courts are still dealing with a backlog of cases and limited resources since the pandemic.
“I think the justice system needs to be adjusted,” said a tearful Sandra Claxton, sitting inside her Bronx home.
“The system’s supposed to be fair, but it’s not fair,” she said.
She worked for decades as a nurse to buy her retirement home in the Bronx, a home she’s now afraid of losing.
“It’s very stressful, very stressful,” Claxton said.
Claxton’s home has a second floor apartment that she has been leasing out to help cover costs. But Claxton said her tenant hasn’t paid rent in more than two years.
Claxton took her to housing court and won but the tenant is still living in her home all these years later.