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By Chris Sommerfeldt

A top attorney in Mayor Adams’ administration faced waves of criticism from City Council members Monday after refusing to offer support for a bill that would slow down Housing Court proceedings amid a recent uptick in New Yorkers going without legal representation in eviction cases.

Under the city’s “Right to Counsel” law, tenants facing eviction in the five boroughs are supposed to be guaranteed free legal representation in Housing Court. The free representation is typically provided by public defender groups contracted by the city government.

But a confluence of — including public defender staffing shortages and a surge in eviction filings — has resulted in thousands of tenants appearing in court without representation because there aren’t enough attorneys to meet the demand.