A decadeslong fight to enshrine a right to counsel for New Yorkers facing eviction proceedings is headed to Albany and the governor’s office on March 13, to call for $260 million to establish a statewide office dedicated to that purpose.
The effort also entails defending tenants who are at risk of homelessness in instances where a landlord has constructively evicted them by illegally turning off their heat, water and other needs, said Sal Curran, executive director of the Volunteer Lawyers Project of CNY, Inc., a pro bono legal services organization.
