Attorneys at The Legal Aid Society praised a developing plan to save two New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) complexes in Chelsea that were targeted for demolition by forging a new financial arrangement that will allow tenants to stay in their homes, reports The City.

The change of course comes after months of passionate working meetings between tenants and city officials – who eventually came to agreement with a plan to save the buildings, which are in need $366 million in repairs and maintenance.

A subcommittee dealing specifically with resident rights and protections crafted requirements to “ensure residents have greater, or at minimum the same, legal rights to stay in their homes.”

Lucy Newman, a Legal Aid Society attorney and member of the working group, said the new leases “will ensure that tenants have the same rights, protections and obligations under the new lease that they had as public housing tenants,” she said.