Six years after the Right-to-Counsel law was passed, speakers lamented that they found themselves back to demand action on the topic. The Right-to-Counsel law mandates that those facing eviction be afforded a lawyer to help them navigate the legal complexities and emotional hardships resulting from the process.
However, according to the bills’ sponsor, City Council Member Shaun Abreu, the hard-fought law is currently severely underfunded, leaving some without lawful access. Advocates and pols gathered in City Hall to demand more funding for the Right-to-Counsel on March 27.“Though they are entitled to an attorney, less than 10% of cases, less than 10% of tenants at the end of last year were going through court without a lawyer, less than 10%. And we know that having a lawyer helps some stay in their home, 84% of tenants who had an attorney were able to stay in their home,” Abreu said. “Let’s be clear, this is a moral failure that we as a city must recognize.
According to City Comptroller Brad Lander, the median asking price for rent in the Big Apple is $3,450. Meanwhile, the homeless crisis is at a record high with some 72,000 people residing in homeless shelters, not including those staying in the mayor’s Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers.
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson also attended the rally, charging that eight out of 10 evictions take place in her borough and therefore puts further hardships on the Black and Brown and low-income community.