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Legal assistance is being offered across New York state to people at risk of being evicted for failing to keep up with their rent during the coronavirus pandemic.
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday announced that legal service providers are being awarded portions of $25 million in federal funding to offer free legal assistance and comprehensive housing stability services. The awardees will use the money to help renters avoid eviction in areas of the state outside of New York City where access to free legal aid is not available to meet the need of these renters.
The legal assistance is aimed at helping both tenants and landlords resolve rent-related disputes and maintaining tenants’ housing stability.
Grant recipients include:
• Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York, $3,998,452 to serve the Southern Tier, Mohawk Valley, Central New York and parts of the North Country
• Legal Assistance of Western New York, $4,515,111 to serve the Finger Lakes and parts of Western New York
“The pandemic has taken a tremendous economic toll on New Yorkers, and we have taken aggressive steps to provide rental assistance and relief to those struggling,” Hochul said in a news release. “These six organizations have long been doing the critical work of providing legal services to vulnerable New Yorkers, and we are proud to partner with them to expand their ability to help tenants across the entire state.”
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Hochul’s office said that each provider has extensive experience working with vulnerable populations and is easily accessible to renter households in the regions they serve. Additionally, the selected service providers will work with other local organizations to ensure that their services are broadly available to serve those most in need in all regions of the state outside of New York City.
The state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance is administering the legal assistance grants.
“This funding will greatly expand free legal assistance for tenants to help them avoid eviction and stay in their homes,” OTDA Executive Deputy Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn said in a statement. “We are grateful for the legal services providers that are partnering with the state to support housing stability in communities throughout the state. Governor Hochul’s decisive action will undoubtedly help many New Yorkers to effectively resolve disputes with landlords and remain in their homes.”