Jim Fouratt's : EVICTION UPDATE: After an emotionally draining full day in the hallways of Housing Court, I decided on the recommendation of my very smart and compassionate lawyer and my feisty and experienced tenant advocate to agree to the settlement terms the lawyers had drawn up to be able to keep my six-floor walkup. Provided that I respect the 9-month probation that is a part of the solution,

My activist part of me did not want to settle. I wanted to go to trial. My lawyer left the choice up to me. I asked for his and Roberta (my tenant advocate) advice. Among the things, they shared with me is that the Housing Court Judges are 70% pro-landlord (thanks to former Republican Governor Pataki who appointed them) and 30% appear to be more sympathetic to tenants. We did not know who we would get. It is common practice for the Judge to add a probationary period even when rejecting the landlord's case, The typical probation period is 2 years.

I did not want any probation given I have been under this threat of eviction and facing homelessness for the last 18 months I listened carefully to their pro and cons.

My lawyer Daniel spent a lot of time reworking the terms of the probation.

I took the settlement offer.

Paid the back rent, shook hands, thanked everybody and went home and walked Mr. M.C. Butter aka Butterboy

Thank you, all of you, for your support and goodwill. Special thanks to those of you who answered my call to come to the Court to lend your support. I can't tell you how much your presence was welcomed and appreciated.

If all goes well, it will finally be over on March 15, 2018

FYI: Most of the rent-regulated tenants in the City are seniors ...and in my neighborhood Greenwich Village the kind of cultural workers that made the Village, the Village. After the first lawyer walked away the day before my Court date saying "they are throwing the book at you. I can not do this pro-bono." I was fortunate to find both my advocate and my terrific lawyer. (the non-profit Legal Services where one of the Judges sent me). I still think it is elder abuse. What many of these landlords do to people intentionally. Note: My landlord was not as abusive as many others are. But the stress level affected every aspect of my life It is how capitalism work.

I had no idea how stressful this ordeal could be

Again thank you all for your support

jim