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 We work to shape laws and policies, to reform those that are discriminatory or outdated, and to create new laws when emerging needs call for them.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.
Opinion: NYC’s ‘Right to Counsel’ program in dire need of funding life raft
“The time is now for City Hall to step up and make the Right to Counsel program a reality so that low-income tenants can get the legal help they need,” writes NYLAG CEO Lisa Rivera, Legal Aid Society’s Adriene Holder, and LSNYC’s Raun Rasmussen in City & State New York.
Joint Statement Applauding NYC Council Progressive Caucus’ Call for $351 Million in City Budget for ‘Right to Counsel’ so Tenants Facing Eviction Can Stay in Their Homes
“At a time of increasing rents, record level homelessness, and soaring eviction cases, the City must invest in protections that preserve affordable housing and keep tenants safe, not take them away.”
Lack of Funding Continues to Jeopardize Right to Counsel Providers’ Ability to Represent Low-Income Tenants in NYC Housing Court
NYLAG, Legal Aid Society, Legal Services NYC, and others call for $351 million in increased funding in the City’s FY24 budget to save New York’s landmark Right to Counsel program.
