In recent years, there has been an increasing number of low-income people at risk of being evicted from their homes. Many tenants simply can no longer afford their rent. NYLAG is one of several legal services providers that represent low-income New Yorkers facing eviction through the Right to Counsel program. Tenants who are represented by an attorney are almost guaranteed to remain housed. Right to Counsel has had an immense impact on individuals facing eviction, and it is essential to maintain. NYLAG, along with Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A, Legal Services NYC, and The Legal Aid Society, testified before the NYC Office of Civil Justice about the importance of Right to Counsel and provided recommendations about the historic program. Below is an excerpt from their testimony:
“Evictions compound financial difficulties, contribute to poor health, disrupt families, and increase the risk of homelessness. Tenants who have an attorney in an eviction proceeding are less likely to be subject to a possessory judgment, the money judgments in these cases are less than in cases when the tenant is unrepresented, and these tenants are less likely to have a warrant of eviction issued against them.”
