2021 New York Laws
CVR - Civil Rights
Article 9 - Right to Call Police and Emergency Assistance/victim Protections
95 - Defenses.

§  95.  Defenses. 1. It is a defense to any judicial or administrative
  action or proceeding taken by any municipality  or  municipal  authority
  enforcing  any  local  law  or  ordinance  that  the  enforcement action
  directly or indirectly penalizes  a  residential  occupant  or  property
  owner for the exercise of rights under this article. Prior to initiation
  of  any  such  enforcement  action  or  proceeding  all  parties and any
  residential occupant that may be so  impacted  shall  be  given  written
  notice  by the municipality of the protections of this article and shall
  have the right to be heard in the action or proceeding  to  advance  the
  defenses provided by this article.
2.  It is a defense in any action or proceeding by a landlord or other
  owner of real property to regain possession of that  property  that  the
  action  or  proceeding  directly  or  indirectly penalizes a residential
  occupant for the exercise of rights under this article. Any  residential
  occupant  whose  right  to  continued  occupancy  may be impacted by the
  action or proceeding shall be given written  notice  of  the  action  or
  proceeding  and  the protections of this article by the party initiating
  the action or proceeding. The residential occupant shall have the  right
  to  appear as a necessary party in accordance with the provisions of the
  civil  practice  law  and  rules  and  the  real  property  actions  and
  proceedings  law  in  order  to  advance  the  defenses provided by this
  article.