Pursuant to the authority vested in me, I hereby order and direct that, effective June 24, 2020, commencement papers in foreclosure proceedings involving residential or commercial property shall require the inclusion of (1) an attorney affirmation in the form attached as Exh. 1 and (2) a Notice to Respondent, in English and Spanish, in the form attached as Exhs. 2 and 3.
Consistent with prior and current gubernatorial Executive Orders (EO/202.8, EO/202.14, EO/202.28, EO/202.38) and Administrative Order AO/68/20, foreclosure matters commenced on or before March 16, 2020 shall continue to be suspended until further order; foreclosure proceedings filed after March 16, 2020 shall, upon the filing of a complaint (if no answer is filed thereafter) or the filing of an answer, be suspended until further order; initial mandatory settlement conferences in residential foreclosures pursuant to CPLR 3408 shall not be scheduled; and foreclosure auctions shall continue to be suspended until further order. Notwithstanding the foregoing, foreclosure matters in which all parties are represented by counsel shall be eligible for calendaring for both initial and follow-up virtual settlement conferences; lenders may move for a judgment of foreclosure and sale on the ground that a property is vacant and abandoned; and lenders may move to discontinue a pending case.
This order shall take effect on June 24, 2020, and shall remain in effect for such time as state and federal emergency measures addressing the COVID-19 pandemic amend or suspend statutory provisions governing foreclosure proceedings, or until further order.
