Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito announced yesterday the creation of the Office of Civil Justice which will provide legal assistance to New Yorkers in need.
Established at the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA), the Office of Civil Justice will oversee the provision of free or low-cost legal services to low-income New Yorkers – specifically legal services for tenants at risk of eviction or facing harassment. The Office of Civil Justice will also regularly evaluate and report on the legal assistance needed among New Yorkers.
“Equal justice in the courts is one of the cornerstones of a free and democratic society,” said de Blasio. “Too often, vulnerable New Yorkers cannot afford legal representation and do not receive the justice they deserve. Providing legal assistance through the Office of Civil Justice is not just effective and efficient, it’s the right thing to do to ensure equal justice for all New Yorkers.”
The two legal services programs for at-risk tenants are the Anti‐Eviction Legal Services, with $25.8 million in annual funding and serving over 20,000 households, and the Anti‐Harassment Tenant Protection Program, with $36 million in annual funding and servicing more than 13,700 households. Additional legal services include:
- 4.3 million for Executive Action legal assistance programs for immigrants.
ï $3.2 million for comprehensive immigration legal assistance.
ï $2.1 million for civil legal services for seniors.
ï $2.5 million for legal services to secure federal disability benefits.
The programs for low-income New Yorkers facing eviction have already made an impact and legal service providers estimate that nearly 17,000 New Yorkers have been served so far through recently expanded contracts. When fully implemented they will serve over 113,000 New Yorkers per year. Funding for legal services for at risk tenants will be over $60 million in the City’s baseline budget by fiscal year 2017, more than ten times the $6 million spent on these services in fiscal 2013.
“Expanding access to legal services is paramount in making New York more fair and just for all those who call our city home,” said Mark-Viverito. “The Office of Civil Justice will work to ensure that legal assistance is within reach for all New Yorkers and is part of the City Council’s continued efforts to better serve and protect our most vulnerable populations. I thank the de Blasio Administration for their shared commitment to standing up for New Yorkers in need.”
Brooklyn Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (Williamsburg, Dowtown Brooklyn, Boerum Hill, Sunset Park) said the legal assistance will help tenants legally against dishonest landlords that use illegal harassment as a way to displace working families from affordable housing just to make a quick profit.
“One of our best defenses against these unscrupulous techniques is ensuring tenants know their rights under the law and have access to quality legal services. The Office of Civil Justice will provide important steps in that regard, and I look forward to further bolstering services like these.”
City Council Member Steve Levin (DUMBO, Brooklyn Heights, Boerum Hill), Chair of the Committee on General Welfare said the legal representation for many families can mean the difference between staying in their home and ending up in the shelter system or on the street.
“The establishment of the Office of Civil Justice will expand access to civil legal services for those who need them most – tenants who are being harassed by their landlords or are facing eviction. I commend Mayor de Blasio and Speaker Mark-Viverito for their leadership on this issue and I look forward to working with (HRA) Commissioner Banks to protect low-income New Yorkers,” he said.
