Josh Goldfein, staff attorney at The Legal Aid Society’s Civil Practice, was named as one of City & State’s Winners of the Week for his successful effort in halting the transfer of 8,000 homeless New Yorkers who have been living in hotel rooms for during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The rushed, haphazard move by the city – conducted with no concern for the health of the people transferred, many of whom suffered from disabilities and other health problems – was halted by a decision from U.S. District Court Judge Gregory H. Woods, who assessed that the City would not be able to move any person who has a disability back into a shelter until assessing whether or not their needs would be adequately met in doing so.

“This was a big win for Goldfein,” the article states, “as well as fellow Legal Aid Society lawyers Judith Goldiner Beth Hofmeister who also filed the suit, and Dawn Smalls, a former public advocate candidate, who spearheaded the effort to sue the city at Jenner & Block.” Gabriela Torres-Lorenzotti rounds out Legal Aid’s team and institutional clients Coalition for the Homeless and CIDNY, along with The Urban Justice Center’s Safety Net Project provided instrumental support to the effort.