RED HOOK â From the number of people streaming into the Red Hook Community Justice Center last Tuesday afternoon, no one would have guessed that court wasnât even in session. In one room, a circle of teens defined what being a good citizen meant to them. Down the hall, a troupe of young actors silently âŚ
âWhen tenants and agency representatives face off in housing court, Williams keeps a close eye on both parties. She can sense when a breakdown in communication or a perceived slight threatens to derail the process, and she works to soothe tenants by serving as a go-between.
âI play mediator, being that they know me. Once they give me the eye, I go over there to talk to them and calm them down,â she said. âHalf the time I just get their file and we go directly to the judge so they donât have to talk to [the NYCHA representative] if they donât want to talk to them.â
âThe demand for housing assistance has grown quickly in recent years. From 2016 to 2018, both the number of households served annually and the number of housing court cases initiated by tenants nearly doubled.â
