RICHARDSON v. NEW YORK CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY (2024)

Order, Supreme Court, New York County (Lori S. Sattler, J.), entered on or about December 13, 2022, which granted defendant New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)’s motion to dismiss the complaint pursuant to CPLR 3211, Public Housing Law § 157, and General Municipal Law § 50–h, unanimously affirmed, without costs.

It is undisputed that plaintiff commenced this action against NYCHA despite his failure to comply with the statutory condition precedent of appearing at a scheduled General Municipal Law § 50–h hearing.  Plaintiff's proferred reasons for cancelling three scheduled dates, days or hours before each hearing, were uncorroborated by supporting medical documentation, and on two occasions the reasons stated in his opposition papers contradicted the reasons he gave for cancellation prior to NYCHA's dismissal motion (see Simon v. Bellmore–Merrick Cent. High Sch. Dist., 133 A.D.3d 557, 558, 19 N.Y.S.3d 420 [1st Dept. 2015];  see also Best v. New York, 97 A.D.2d 389, 389, 468 N.Y.S.2d 7 [1st Dept. 1983], affd 61 N.Y.2d 847, 473 N.Y.S.2d 975, 462 N.E.2d 152 [1984]).