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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Alex Grzebyk, Deputy Director of the Community and Economic Development Program at Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A
2:38:05
ยท
149 sec
Alex Grzebyk from Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A testifies about the Commercial Lease Assistance (CLA) program, which provides legal services to small businesses in New York City. She highlights the program's success and proposes expansions to improve its effectiveness in helping small businesses.
- The CLA program handled 1,386 small business legal matters in the last year, reaching all but one city council district.
- Grzebyk proposes allowing CLA counsel to appear in court, subcontract litigation support, or provide targeted assistance to specific classes of small business clients.
- These expansions aim to keep more small businesses open and serving their neighborhoods by providing more comprehensive legal support.
Alex Grzebyk
2:38:05
Thank you.
2:38:05
Good afternoon.
2:38:06
My name is Alex Gzebic, and I am the deputy director of the community and economic development program at Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A or Brooklyn A.
2:38:16
We are the city contractor for the Department of Small Business Services Commercial Lease Assistance Program.
2:38:21
As you may know, commercial tenants do not share the same legal protections as residential tenants in the city and having access to an attorney can be the difference between staying open and going under for many small businesses.
2:38:34
Through the CLA program, we provide transactional legal services to small business owners across all five boroughs, offering things like negotiating new or renewal leases, terminations or sublets, negotiating rent reductions and payment plans, and combating harassment or breach of contract.
2:38:52
The services are for income qualifying businesses, and we do not serve chain franchises.
2:38:58
Our work aims to help vital pillars of New York City neighborhoods.
2:39:02
We are proud to have seen our case numbers increase for this program.
2:39:05
In the last year, we handled thirteen eighty six small business legal matters and reached a small business in all city council districts but one.
2:39:14
Our team provides consistent outreach resources through bimonthly virtual legal clinics and regular webinars to ensure all New York City Small Business Owners have access to our services and other useful resources.
2:39:27
Even with our continued success, we believe the program can grow.
2:39:30
The CLA program does not allow us to litigate on behalf of our clients, even though most small businesses cannot afford to pay for additional support for court appearances and litigation.
2:39:40
Brooklyn A has seen repeatedly that if landlords are aware that attorneys cannot appear in court on behalf of small business clients, they are happy to evict longtime tenants to hike up rents.
2:39:51
We propose several options for a trial or pilot expansion of the CLA program.
2:39:55
One, allowing CLA counsel to appear in court to finalize and file agreements that have been negotiated out of court.
2:40:02
Two, allowing CLA counsel additional permission to subcontract
Barry Pinckney
2:40:06
Tom is advised.
Alex Grzebyk
2:40:07
Providers to provide legal service providers that can support small businesses in litigation, or three, allowing CLA counsel to appear in court for a targeted class of small business clients such as veterans, people affected affected by the carceral system, or business owners engaged in legal cannabis sales.
2:40:26
With more tools at our disposal, we can keep more small businesses open and serving their neighborhoods.
2:40:31
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.