In 2023, evictions in Brooklyn rose to 3,500 which is triple the amount of 2022. In 2017, when the NYS housing movement won better rent laws, the infamous Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) began suing the State over these “anti-landlord” laws. REBNY has also been targeting judges that they believe are “pro-tenant” and demanding that judges be more “fair” to landlords.

In 2024, based on the feedback of our tenants who are court-involved, the level of Anti-Black /Latine racism, misogyny and ageism of Brooklyn Housing Court Judges is completely out of control. Tenants are reporting being berated in open court, not being informed of their rights, feeling forced to make decisions that are clearly not in their favor or feeling like the judge is in cahoots with the landlord to evict them. Brooklyn Housing Court is literally destroying lives.

In response, Equality for Flatbush has launched a public Judge Accountability Campaign to pick the “Worst 3 Judges in Brooklyn Housing Court”. The goals of the campaign are to gather data along with audio and video stories at Brooklyn Housing Court , the Brooklyn shelter system and partner with various social service agencies to hold the anti-tenant judges accountable. We also hope that the campaign will reign in the abusive behavior and anti-tenant rulings through the political and media attention that we hope to gain. Currently E4F has online and paper surveys in Kreyol, Spanish and English.