If you haven't noticed, Buffalo has a housing problem. Several housing problems are happening in Buffalo at the same time.

Buffalo simultaneously has the hottest housing market in the nation and one of the oldest housing stock in the United States. Combine that with extremely high poverty in the core city and a huge lack of affordable housing units, and you end up with a situation that leaves many in Buffalo and Western New York struggling to find safe and fair housing.

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One of the things that exists in Western New York to help ensure people are treated fairly and equitably in the housing space is Buffalo's Housing Court. Housing court, which is a division of the Buffalo City Court, has two parts of New York State's 8th Judicial District and is headed by City Court Judge Patrick Carney.

In the city of Buffalo, the court is tasked with enforcing all real estate housing codes and dealing with landlord/tenant issues.

While it has received some criticism over the years, it has mostly done that job to varying degrees of success. However, while the court has been enforcing the law against those who appear in the courthouse, it has been breaking the law and not following a critical requirement since the early 1990s.

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According to Investigative Post, in 1978, the New York State Legislature passed a law requiring Housing Courts, like the one in Buffalo, to impanel and maintain an independent 16-member advisory council.

The advisory council is empowered to review the court's activities and recommend changes or improvements to the court's Administrative Judge.

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Considering the deteriorating condition of Buffalo's housing stock, this council seems needed now more than ever.

The Investigative Post article notes that Judges within the 8th Judicial District are working to reestablish the advisory council.