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Eviction in Erie County (Buffalo), New York

Where eviction cases are filed in Erie County (Buffalo), what it costs, local rent levels and where to get help — with the official court, county and HUD sources.

Quick facts: eviction in Erie County (Buffalo)

Eviction court
Buffalo City Court Housing Part (Buffalo Housing Court); Lackawanna and Tonawanda City Courts; town/village justice courts — City Court / Town and Village Justice Court Court page
Filing fee
$45 to issue a notice of petition in City Court; $20 in town and village justice courts Uniform City Court Act § 1911; Uniform Justice Court Act § 1911
Notice before filing (state law)
14-day written rent demand before filing a nonpayment proceeding. Separately, if rent is not received within 5 days of the due date, the landlord must send the tenant a certified-mail notice that rent was not received; failure is an affirmative defense to a nonpayment case. New York rules
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2-bedroom (FY2026)
$1,343/month HUD
Renter households
140,013 (34% of households) Census ACS 2020–2024

Last verified against official sources: 2026-10-22

Where eviction cases are filed in Erie County (Buffalo)

Eviction cases in Erie County (Buffalo) are heard by the Buffalo City Court Housing Part (Buffalo Housing Court); Lackawanna and Tonawanda City Courts; town/village justice courts (City Court / Town and Village Justice Court).

Court eviction page · Search court records · Self-help center

Buffalo Housing Court hears all summary eviction proceedings for residential property in the City of Buffalo, plus housing-code cases. Landlord-tenant calendars run Monday-Thursday (mornings and afternoons) and Friday mornings. Lackawanna City Court hears evictions Thursdays at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Property elsewhere in the county goes to the town or village justice court.

How much it costs to file an eviction in Erie County (Buffalo)

$45 to issue a notice of petition in City Court; $20 in town and village justice courts

Town and village justice courts charge $20 to issue a notice of petition in a summary proceeding (Uniform Justice Court Act § 1911): https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/UJC/1911. City Court jury demand fee is $70. A party who cannot afford fees can ask the court for poor-person relief.

Source: Uniform City Court Act § 1911; Uniform Justice Court Act § 1911

How eviction cases work locally

Required statewide eviction formsResidential eviction cases filed in District, Justice or City Courts outside NYC must use the statewide Notice of Petition forms: UCS-LTN1 (nonpayment) or UCS-LTH1 (holdover).
Source: Official source
Town and village courtsOutside the cities, eviction cases for property in a town or village are filed in that town or village justice court. Use the court system's Justice Court locator to find the court, hours and phone.
Source: Official source
Buffalo Housing CourtThe Housing Part of Buffalo City Court is devoted to housing-code enforcement and summary proceedings for residential property in the City of Buffalo; it has a Housing Court Advisory Council and a HUB that operates Monday-Thursday afternoons.
Source: Official source

The New York eviction process

New York state law sets the notice periods and court steps everywhere in the state, including Erie County (Buffalo):

  1. Notice: 14-day rent demand (nonpayment, RPAPL 711(2)) or termination/non-renewal notice of 30/60/90 days (holdover, RPL 226-c); in Good Cause areas the notice must state coverage and grounds
  2. File petition and notice of petition; in holdover cases serve it 10 to 17 days before the hearing (RPAPL 733)
  3. Hearing/trial; tenant may raise defenses such as warranty of habitability, retaliation, or missing 5-day late-rent notice
  4. Judgment of possession; court may stay the warrant up to 1 year for hardship (RPAPL 753(1)); 30-day cure stay in lease-breach cases (RPAPL 753(4))
  5. Warrant of eviction issued; officer must give at least 14 days' written notice before execution (RPAPL 749)
  6. Removal by sheriff, city marshal or constable, on a business day between sunrise and sunset; in nonpayment cases the warrant is vacated if full rent due is paid before execution

Full New York eviction rules with sources →

Rent in Erie County (Buffalo)

HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA (the rent levels used for Section 8 vouchers):

Studio$1,105
1 bedroom$1,139
2 bedrooms$1,343
3 bedrooms$1,640
4 bedrooms$1,869

Source: HUD Fair Market Rent documentation

Median gross rent in Erie County (Buffalo): $1,090/month (Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates).

Erie County Fair Housing Law

Applies: All of Erie County

Eviction help in Erie County (Buffalo)

Free legal help

Rental assistance

Other New York counties

Related

Frequently asked questions

Where do I file an eviction in Erie County (Buffalo)?
Eviction cases in Erie County (Buffalo) are filed with the Buffalo City Court Housing Part (Buffalo Housing Court); Lackawanna and Tonawanda City Courts; town/village justice courts.
How much does it cost to file an eviction in Erie County (Buffalo)?
$45 to issue a notice of petition in City Court; $20 in town and village justice courts.
Where can I get help with an eviction in Erie County (Buffalo)?
Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo; Neighborhood Legal Services; Western New York Law Center; Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME).
What is the fair market rent in Erie County (Buffalo)?
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit is $1,343 per month (1-bedroom: $1,139).

General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.