Policy Advocacy
Fighting for, advocating for, and creating just public policies for people experiencing poverty.
NYLAG stands proudly with vulnerable communities in New York, and beyond. We believe in the power of the law to change lives, so we push to ensure that our laws are just. We work to shape laws and policies, to reform those that are discriminatory or outdated, and to create new laws when emerging needs call for them.
Our Approach
We amplify the voices of our clients by advocating for them in spaces where they may not have a seat at the table. We do this in the following ways:
- Educating policymakers about issues of poverty and the gaps in our civil justice system
- Drafting legislation, public comments, and statements
- Delivering testimony at government hearings, briefings, and other relevant spaces
- Leading and taking part in coalitions and committees that integrate our clients’ needs into policy conversations
- Marching and rallying with our clients and supporters
Policy advocacy statements, public comments, and news.
Testimony: New York City Council Oversight Hearing Before the Committee on Public Housing RE: $78.34 Billion: NYCHA’s Physical Needs Assessment
Public Housing Justice Project Director Anna Luft and Staff Attorney Sophie Cohen represented NYLAG at City Hall to testify that NYCHA’s Physical Needs Assessment is no excuse to forgo repairs or privatize public housing.
Testimony: City’s Shelter Policies for Recent Immigrants are Discriminatory
NYLAG’s Deborah Berkman testified before the New York City Council Committees on General Welfare and Immigration about the harms of a recently implemented 60-day limit on shelter stays for adult migrants.
Testimony: NYLAG Advocates Against NYCHA Significant Amendment
Anna Luft, the supervising attorney in NYLAG’s Tenants’ Rights Unit, critiques NYCHA’s proposed demolition of three buildings and their replacement with a larger development of market rate and “affordable” housing units.
