Court Backlog Leaves Tenants Waiting a Year for Hearings

An analysis of 4,300 housing court dockets shows a two-track system: cases filed by landlords move roughly ten times faster than cases filed by tenants, even when the underlying claims are comparable.

Where the Delay Happens

Court administrators point to a scheduling rule adopted in 2021 that prioritizes “possession matters.” Housing advocates say the rule was written with input from landlord associations and no tenant representation.