On Monday, March 4, 2024, NYLAG’s President & CEO Lisa Rivera testified before the New York City Council Committee on Finance’s hearing on the Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2025.
NYLAG’s submitted testimony illustrates the need for increased funding for legal and social services in FY 2025 so that nonprofits can meet the ever-increasing needs in the communities we serve, namely in the area of housing, access to benefits, shelter advocacy, and immigration:
"Long-term, continued investment in legal services — including the expertise housed within our organizations — is critical to meeting the current and future needs of individuals and families in New York. We cannot treat the question of legal services and support for New Yorkers as a temporary issue. Instead, long term investments must become a priority if we are going to able to address the ongoing and ever-changing legal needs of the communities we serve in New York City. Legal service providers need funding that meets our costs and supports our ability to provide innovative, culturally and linguistically competent services, and assist individuals in navigating the complexities of the various systems our clients must face when attempting to achieve justice, stability, safety and dignity for themselves and their families."
