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LEVINE, GIBSON, MENDEZ AND THE COALITION FOR JUSTICE

IN HOUSING COURT RALLY FOR BILLS THAT WOULD


PROVIDE LEGAL COUNSEL TO TENANTS FACING EVICTION

Thirty-Two Council Members Have Already Signed on to Intro-214-
2014 and Sixty Organizations Have Joined the Coalition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, June 11
th


CONTACT: Jordan Levine, 917-392-8965

NEW YORK Nearly a quarter of a million New Yorkers were served with eviction papers last
year and 90% of those who ended up in court had to fight without the benefit of having an
attorney. Many are unfairly evicted because tenants did not know their rights or how to protect
them in Court.
Research shows that in almost all cases an attorney could improve the outcome and help keep the
tenant in their home. Most tenants cant afford to hire an attorney and the available free legal
services for those who need it do not come close to matching the need.
The imbalance in housing court carries a heavy toll for tenants: in 2013 there were nearly 30,000
evictions in New York City. This figure is steadily rising, up more than 20 percent in the past
decade. Two-thirds of evictees have annual incomes of $25,000 or less. Two-thirds live with
children under 18 years of age.
Among homeless families, about one in three enter the shelter system after an eviction. The
annual cost for sheltering a homeless family averages about $36,000 per year. The price tag of
providing legal counsel to low-income tenants is just $1600-$3200 per case.
Intro 214-2014, carried by Council Members Levine and Gibson, would provide legal counsel
for low-income tenants who are subject to eviction, ejectment or foreclosure proceedings and
make less than 125% of the federal poverty line. The bill is co-sponsored by a majority of
Council Members and is supported by a large coalition of organizations.
Two other bills carried by Council Member Mendez would also provide legal services to tenants
subject to eviction, ejectment or foreclosure. Intro 221-2014 would provide legal counsel for
parents and guardians with minor children and Intro 96-2014 would provide legal counsel for
senior citizens.
The Coalition for Justice in Housing Court is made up of sixty member organizations. To learn
more, visit its website: housingcourt.weebly.com.
Council Member Mark Levine said: The lopsided nature of housing court in New York City
violates any reasonable definition of justice. In the vast majority of tenant-landlord disputes only
one sidethe landlordhas the benefit of legal counsel. The resulting epidemic of evictions
takes a tremendous human toll on families in our city and swells the population of our homeless
shelters. It also leads to the loss of thousands of rent-regulated apartments each year,
counteracting the expansion of affordable housing the city is working so hard to achieve. We
can address this crisis by taking the simple and relatively inexpensive step of providing attorneys
to tenants in housing court. We must do so now.
We can no longer turn a blind eye to the daily reality facing many economically struggling New
York families as they find themselves falling through the cracks without any legal representation
to protect their basic rights during an eviction proceeding, Council Member Vanessa L.
Gibson said. This legislation would bring true equity to the process we use in Housing Court
by ending our current two-tier system of civil justice that has neglected the needs of so many
New Yorkers when they are facing the prospect of losing their homes.
Council Member Mendez stated: In NYC, the most precious commodity one can have is a
home and if someone is at risk of losing that home then that person should be given an attorney
to ensure that s/he doesnt lose their home just because they dont know the law.
"Putting the power back into the hands of working New Yorkers is important and I thank Mark
Levine for doing just that with this bill," said Public Advocate Letitia James. "Too often,
tenants are forced out of their buildings by slumlords looking to turn a quick buck, but through
providing tenants legal support, we believe the eviction rate will drop tremendously. This means
preserving affordable housing and keeping more New Yorkers in their homes."
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams said: I applaud my colleagues in the City Council
for tackling the challenge so many low-income tenants face in our city regarding legal
representation in eviction proceedings. Everyone deserves a fair day in court, regardless of what
they can or cannot afford to pay an attorney. Our goal must be to keep families out of the shelter
system and to preserve our affordable housing stock.
Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer said: Preserving affordable housing is as
important as building new affordable housing and a key way to preserve affordable units is to
provide legal representation to tenants in housing court. Tenants are too often evicted simply
because they did not know their rights. Without legal support, they sign stipulations that could
have been negotiated differently or dont answer summons that could be resolved in a positive
way. This is why Intro 214 is needed.
This legislation is essential for the citys many low-income tenants who cant afford proper
legal representation when they most need it, said Council Member Margaret Chin. In
particular, the appointment of a civil justice coordinator to HPD will play an important role in
helping those low-income tenants fight eviction and stay in their homes, and I am proud to
support it.
"New York City families, irrespective of their income, deserve equal protection under the law.
No one should not be subjected to eviction and homelessness, because they could not afford legal
representation. We must preserve our communities by ensuring that all families can continue to
remain in their homes," said Council Member Laurie A. Cumbo.
I am proud to be a sponsor of Intro 214-2014, said Council Member Julissa Ferreras.
Every New Yorker deserves to know what their housing rights are and how to protect them in
court. This legislation would give low-income tenants access to legal representation that they
would not otherwise have and protect them from being unnecessarily evicted. I look forward to
working with my City Council colleagues as we continue to make housing needs a top priority.
Council Member Steve Levin said: For tenants facing eviction, it is crucial that they have
ample representation to avoid homelessness. One in three homeless families enter the shelter
system after an eviction and it is important that tenants are provided legal counsel to avoid this
situation. I am proud to support this legislation and thank Council Members Levine and Gibson
for their leadership.
New Yorks history of evictions highlights our tale of two cities, said Council Member
Donovan Richards. When we know that nearly every family in housing court cannot afford an
attorney, and most of the affordable housing in our city is lost due to vacancies, one thing
becomes very clear. There is a system in place that benefits those who stand to profit by evicting
families in need. Today, we make it clear that no one deserves to be pushed into homelessness. I
am proud to stand with my fellow Council Members and the Coalition to Bring Justice to
Housing Court, as we fight for our friends and neighbors who deserve better.
Council Member Helen Rosenthal said: "People who struggle to pay their bills certainly
cannot afford a lawyer. Let's give some of our most vulnerable New Yorkers a fighting chance at
staying in their homes and out of our homeless shelters."
This legislation provides vulnerable tenants facing evictions in housing court with the
information and expertise that for too long has tipped the scale of justice in favor of
unscrupulous landlords, said Bronx Council Member Ritchie Torres. By providing free
legal support to low-income families facing eviction, we can keep them out of the shelter system
and in their homes.
"Every New Yorker should have the ability to seek legal counsel if faced with eviction,
especially in cases when landlords use illegal means to force a tenant out. This is extremely
critical now, when rising rents and housing demand is resulting in high numbers of renters facing
unfair eviction tactics. It benefits the city in the long run to prevent unfair and illegal evictions
from occurring, so I am proud to stand with Council Member Levine and my colleagues in
support of this effort," said Council Member Mark Treyger.
I applaud Council Member Levine for developing with this long-overdue legislation. No tenant
should have to enter a housing court without being fully aware of their rights and responsibilities.
By mandating that when tenants enter housing court, that they be appointed counsel, the chance
that they will not be able to adequately represent their interests is dramatically diminished. This
is particularly important in battling those select bad-actor landlords who will do virtually
anything to evict tenants and withdraw units from the protections that rent regulation provides.
As chair of the Committee on Housing and Buildings, I look forward to working with my
colleagues to move this and other Right-to-Counsel bills forward, said Council Member
Jumaane D. Williams.
"As holistic public defenders we see, every day, the difference zealous representation makes,
especially for families facing eviction and homelessness," said Runa Rajagopal of The Bronx
Defenders. "Landlord attorneys often take advantage of the incredible power imbalance, by
bullying unrepresented, vulnerable tenants who are both unaware of their rights and unfamiliar
with the perplexing court process."
Thirty thousand evictions a year in New York City happen because there is an overwhelming
imbalance of power which leads to decisions being rendered against tenants even when they have
substantive law on their side. It is the absence of legal representation in Housing Court that leads
to this travesty. Intro-214-2014 addresses this lack of representation for tenants, and will go far
in tipping the scales of justice back into a semblance of balance. The City will then be able to
speak about equal access before the law in a real sense, said Fitzroy Christian, CASA Leader
Bobbie Sackman, Director of Public Policy, Council of Senior Centers and Services, "On
behalf of thousands of low income older tenants, frequently targeted for harassment and eviction
by landlords, CSCS supports the enactment of Right to Counsel legislation. We applaud the
efforts of City Council to establish this critical wall of protection for low income tenants. Stable,
affordable housing is a cornerstone to being able to age with dignity in one's home and
community."
Louise Seeley, Executive Director of Housing Court Answers said: Families forcibly evicted
by a marshal from their homes face long term devastating harm. We see the damage first hand
working in the citys Housing Courts. We also see the fundamental unfairness in Housing Court
where all the poor tenant in an eviction case has no lawyer, but the landlord almost always does.
The courts technical procedures and language make it impossibly difficult for the average
unrepresented tenant to protect his or her rights. Thousands get evicted every year, and thousands
end up in the citys shelter system. Lawyers make a huge difference for a low income tenant in
Housing Court having a lawyer can make the difference that saves the family home.
"As a tenant leader with Make the Road New York, I have always had access to an attorney to
protect me in court," said Gladys Puglla, Tenant Leader and Board Member of Make the
Road New York. "I know how important it was for me to receive this extra support to avoid
eviction in my building. When 99% of tenants who enter housing court do not have legal
representation, not only do we risk losing our homes, we also risk losing our city. I applaud
Councilmember Mark Levine for taking this stand and encourage the rest of the New York City
Council to stand up for low-income tenants as well."
"We are excited to work with a talented and dedicated group of City Councilmembers and
community groups to advocate for the right to counsel in Housing Court," said Jaron Benjamin,
executive director of the Met Council on Housing. The right to counsel is not only a just
proposal, it is a financially smart plan that would help to preserve existing affordable housing
while preventing homelessness"
Preserving affordable housing for New Yorkers necessarily begins with the right to counsel in
eviction cases. The proposed program, above all others, will prevent homelessness by giving at-
risk individuals and families the legal representation they desperately need to have a fighting
chance, said Christopher M. Schwartz, Supervising Attorney at MFY Legal Services, Inc.
"The Legal Aid Society was founded on the idea that low-income people should have equal
access to justice when facing grave matters such as eviction from their home. While most of the
landlords seeking eviction are able to hire attorneys, the overwhelming majority of tenants facing
eviction are forced to represent themselves. In many instances, the expertise of an attorney
yields starkly different results and makes all the difference between a family maintaining a home
and being rendered homeless," said Judith Goldiner of the Legal Aid Society.
For each tenant evicted due to lack of counsel, the City permanently loses an affordable
housing unit. The success of the Mayors housing plan requires a strenuous effort to prevent
needless displacement of tenants by providing essential legal services, said Ed Josephson,
Director of Litigation, Legal Services NYC
Council Members who Cosponsor Intro 214-2014:
Vanessa L. Gibson
Inez D. Barron
Margaret S. Chin
Inez E. Dickens
Mathieu Eugene
Julissa Ferreras
Corey D. Johnson
Peter A. Koo
James G. Van Bramer
Laurie A. Cumbo
Andy L. King
Helen K. Rosenthal
Robert E. Cornegy, Jr.
Andrew Cohen
Antonio Reynoso
Ritchie J. Torres
Stephen T. Levin
Annabel Palma
Donovan J. Richards
Rafael L. Espinal, Jr.
Alan N. Maisel
Brad S. Lander
Rosie Mendez
Ruben Wills
Mark Treyger
Ydanis A. Rodriguez
Ben Kallos
Karen Koslowitz
Daneek Miller
Darlene Mealy
Vincent J. Gentile

Participating Organizations
Bronx Defenders
Bronx Jewish Community
Council
Brooklyn Defender
Services
Brooklyn Legal Services
Corporation A.
CAMBA
CASA: Community Action
for Safe Apartments
Catholic Charities
Brooklyn & Queens, Bklyn
Community Center
Catholic Migration
Services
Central Park Gardens
Tenants' Association
Chelsea Coalition
Chhaya CDC
Children's Aid Society
Citymeals on Wheels
Coalition for the Homeless
Collins, Dobkin & Miller
LLP
Community Service
Society
Cooper Square Committee
Council of Senior Centers
and Services
DC 37
Fifth Avenue Committee
Fishman & Mallon, LLP
Goddard Riverside
Community Center
Heights and Hills, Inc
Himmelstein McConnell
Gribben Donoghue &
Joseph
Homeless Services United,
Inc
Housing Conservation
Coordinators
Housing Court Anwers,
Inc
Hudson Guild
Interfaith assembly on
homelessness and housing
JASA/Legal Services for
the Elderly in Queens
Law Offices of Eric
Dinnocenzo
Legal Services NYC
Lenox Hill Neighborhood
House
Los Sures - Southside
United Housing
Metropolitan Council on
Housing
MFY Legal Services
Minkwon Center for
Community Action
Mitchell Lama Residents
Coalition
National Coalition for a
Civil Right to Counsel
National Law Center on
Homelessness & Poverty
National Lawyers Guild -
NYC Chapter Housing
Committee
Neighborhood Defender
Service of Harlem
Neighbors Helping
Neighbors
New York City Anti-
Violence Project
New York Legal
Assistance Group
(NYLAG)
Northern Manhattan
Improvement Corp
Palante Harlem
PEP for Seniors NORC
SSP
Pratt Area Community
Council
Public Justice Center
SAGE - Seniors &
Advocacy for GLBT
Elders
Self Help Community
Services, Inc
Teamsters Local 237 -
Legal Services Plan
Tenants & Neighbors
Tenants PAC
The Bronx Defenderes
The Legal Aid Society
University Settlement
Urban Justice Center
Westgate Tenant Assoc at
Stonehenge

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