Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Tricia Lendore, Director of the Preserving Affordable Housing Program at Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A
4:02:58
·
3 min
Tricia Lendore, representing Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A, testified about the need for increased funding and reforms to the Right to Counsel program in New York City. She highlighted the decline in representation rates, the rise in eviction cases, and the effectiveness of legal representation in keeping New Yorkers housed.
- Requested discretionary funding for the Preserving Affordable Housing Program
- Called for increased funding for the Right to Counsel program to improve attorney hiring, retention, and case compensation
- Emphasized the need for expedited contract delivery to address cash flow issues for legal service providers
Tricia Lendore
4:02:58
Awesome.
4:02:58
Thank you.
4:02:59
Hi, good afternoon.
4:03:00
Well my name is Tricia Lindor and I'm the director of the Preserving Affordable Housing Program at Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A and thank you for the opportunity to testify here today.
4:03:15
So the Preserving Affordable Housing Program Brooklyn program is a program at Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A, which is a nonprofit legal service provider.
4:03:30
As a right to counsel legal services provider, Brooklyn A provides vital services to New Yorkers facing eviction, harassment, and violations of their rights.
4:03:41
We are seeking discretionary funding for our preserving affordable housing program and work through several applications for FY '26.
4:03:51
The details are being submitted in written testimony which will be emailed to you hereafter.
4:03:57
Brooklyn A, also known as BKA, also known as Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A, joins our fellow right to counsel providers in calling for reforms to the program in order to better provide services to New Yorkers.
4:04:11
A report released by the city comptroller this month noted that right to counsel representation has declined from f y twenty one to f y twenty four going from 71% to 42%.
4:04:26
Evictions meanwhile have returned to pre pandemic levels, in that the number of active eviction cases in the city rose 440% between 2020 and 2024.
4:04:39
Now the need in housing court is growing, but we also know that when a New Yorker has an attorney, they usually win.
4:04:46
That same report notes that in FY twenty four, '80 '9 percent of New Yorkers who received full legal representation in an eviction proceeding were able to remain housed.
4:04:59
The right to counsel program must be more adequately funded and also expanded in order to meet the needs of New Yorkers.
4:05:07
Brooklyn A recommends that the right to counsel funding be increased both so providers can hire and retain additional attorneys and so they can keep, and so they can receive proper compensation per case right now.
4:05:22
The average case rate the city covers is a little more than half of the approximate 7,500 per case needed.
4:05:31
Additionally, the city needs to immediately expedite contract delivery so providers are not stuck or left waiting for reimbursement payments for awarded contracts.
4:05:43
These delays cause severe cash flow strain, instability, and ultimately threaten attorney recruitment and retention for providers.
4:05:52
Keeping people in their homes is one of the most important tools the city has to manage our ongoing housing affordability crisis.
4:06:02
I hope you will recognize the integral role of civil legal service providers in New York City and continue to grow the right to counsel program.
4:06:13
Thank you for your time and this opportunity to speak with you today.