Press Room

For press inquiries, contact:

Pat Bath
Communications Director
The Legal Aid Society
pbath@legal-aid.org
212-577-3346

Redmond J. Haskins
Deputy Communications Director
The Legal Aid Society
rhaskins@legal-aid.org
929-441-2384

Current Press Releases and Statements:

November 2020

11/25/20 Governor Cuomo’s Early Release Initiative Failing to Free Vulnerable New Yorkers on Time
11/24/20 LAS, Milbank Sue City for Failing to Provide Students at Shelters Access to Remote Schooling
11/23/20 NYC Defenders Renew Call for Urgent Reforms of the Criminal Legal System
11/20/20 LAS Calls on Governor, Legislature to Amend Rent Relief Programs to Benefit More New Yorkers
11/18/20 Elected Officials, Advocates, Tenants Condemn Landlord Who Refuses Boiler Repairs, More
11/17/20  NYIFUP Statement About Hudson County’s Contract with ICE
11/16/20  After LAS Urging, HRA Suspends Billing Until January 21, 2021
11/13/20  LAS, Lowenstein Sandler File Lawsuit to Require Newark to Accept NYC SOTA Program
11/10/20  LAS Statement on the Exoneration of Emmanuelle Cooper
11/10/20  LAS Statement After SCOTUS Signals Support for the Affordable Care Act
11/09/20 FOIL: DOC Increases Density Levels at Local Jails to Dangerous Levels
11/09/20 LAS, Lowenstein Sandler LLP Win Petition to Intervene on Behalf of Homeless New Yorkers
11/07/20 LAS Statement on the Election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to the White House
11/02/20 LAS Calls on Governor Cuomo to Extend Executive Order Pausing Default Judgments
11/02/20 LAS, Milbank Issue Final Warning to Expedite Internet Installation at Shelters or Face Litigation

October 2020

10/29/20  Federal Monitor Report: After Seven Years, NYPD Still Failing to Make Court-Ordered Reforms
10/29/20  City Hall: Most Homeless New Yorkers Will Have to Wait for Working WiFi Until Next Summer
10/29/20  Ahead of Election, LAS Re-Releases Know Your Rights Information for Protestors
10/27/20  LAS Wins Appellate Court Victory in Velasco Lopez v. Decker 
10/27/20  LAS Calls for Detailed Plan on How City Will Install WiFi at All NYC Homeless Shelters
10/26/20 NYCLU and LAS Sue Mayor, NYPD for Police Brutality During Protests
10/23/20 LAS Statement on Latest Nunez Independent Federal Monitor Report on Abuse in NYC Jails
10/23/20 LAS Files Suit Against NYC for Failing to Provide Adequate Shelter for Homeless Single Adults
10/23/20 LAS Calls on Cuomo, DOCCS to Release Vulnerable New Yorkers at COVID-19 Hotspot Prisons
10/21/20 LAS Mourns the Loss of Another Incarcerated New Yorker to COVID-19, Condemns DOCCS
10/20/20 LAS Decries Piecemeal Response From City to Address Systemic Internet Issues at Shelters
10/16/20 LAS Statement on OCA Report Examining Court System’s Racial and Other Biases
10/15/20 LAS Warns of Second Surge Within NYS Prison System as COVID-19 Cases Skyrocket
10/15/20  LAS Calls on City Council to End Genetic Stop-And-Frisk
10/14/20  LAS, Milbank Threaten Lawsuit for Neglecting to Provide Homeless Children Internet Access
10/14/20  LAS Statement on Legislation Prohibiting NYPD Collection a Child’s DNA Without Consent
10/13/20  LAS Urges Halt to Plan Resuming Collections on SNAP, Public Assistance, Medicaid Recipients
10/13/20  Defenders Decry 16% Rise in Jail Population as Second Wave of COVID19 Threatens NYC
10/10/20  LAS Statement on the Passing of Christopher Cruz, Client Held Pretrial on Cash Bail at Rikers
10/09/20 LAS Statement on New OCA Memo Concerning Residential Eviction Proceedings
10/09/20 LAS to Wall Street NIMBY Group: Fund Affordable Housing Instead of Vilifying Homeless
10/08/20 LAS Calls on DOC/DOCCS to Assist with Stimulus Applications From People in Custody
10/08/20 As Washington Debates Stimulus Package, LAS Calls for Direct Rental Assistance for Tenants
10/05/20 LAS, Advocates, Community Members to Hold Webinar on the NYPD’s Rogue Gang Database
10/04/20 LAS Advises Incarcerated Persons of Restored Eligibility for Stimulus Payments
10/01/20 LAS Files Appeal in Case to Exonerate Wrongfully Convicted Brooklynite James Davis
10/01/20 LAS Calls for Permanent and Meaningful Regulation of City DNA Index Policy

September 2020

09/30/20 Court Grants LAS Motions to Dismiss Lawsuits Attacking Rent Laws, Housing Reforms
09/29/20 LAS Statement on Executive Order No. 202.66, Issued Today by Governor Andrew Cuomo
09/29/20 Court Rules LAS, Cleary Gottlieb Lawsuit Against ICE Courthouse Arrests Will Proceed
09/28/20 LAS Statement on New York’s Residential Eviction Moratorium
09/26/20 LAS Statement on Tonight’s Vigil in Support of New Yorkers Residing at the Lucerne Hotel
09/25/20 LAS Statement on Harmonia Shelter, Flatlands Shelter, LIC Plaza Hotel and the Lucerne Hotel
09/25/20 Harmonia Shelter Residents to Mayor: Don’t Uproot us to Appease Upper West Side NIMBYists
09/24/20 Advisory: Harmonia Residents to Hold Press Conference Calling for Answers From City Hall
09/24/20 LAS, Partners Win Petition in Federal Court to Intervene in Landlord Lobby Lawsuits
09/22/20 LAS Condemns Proposed Rule by Labor Department Which Would Strip Workers’ Rights
09/21/20 With Less Than Ten Days Before NYS Eviction Moratorium Expires, LAS Implores Albany to Act
09/19/20 LAS Statement on Passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, United States Supreme Court Justice
09/18/20 LAS Calls on Governer Cuomo to Act After OTDA Removes Eviction Moratorium Guidance
09/17/20 LAS Launches Fundraising Campaign to Help Families Afford Immigration Application Fees
09/16/20 LAS Calls for Ban on Use of Controversial DNA Testing
09/16/20 LAS Calls on Governor, Legislature to Act Immediately to Prevent Unprecedented Evictions
09/14/20 LAS Statement in Response to City Pausing Transfers From Lucerne, NYS Homeless Shelters
09/14/20 LAS Condemns DOC Staff for Failing to Wear Masks, Practice Social Distancing
09/12/20 LAS Statement in Response to Reported Plans to Move Families at Flatlands Family Residence
09/10/20 LAS Prepares Lawsuit Against City Over Plan to Move Homeless New Yorkers With Disabilities
09/09/20 OCME Identified 20k to Remove From City Databank, Instead the Number Increased 
09/08/20 LAS Statement on City’s Decision to Relocate Homeless New Yorkers From UWS Hotel
09/04/20 LAS, Partners Bring New Claims to Abolish New York’s Prison-to-Homeless Shelter Pipeline
09/01/20 LAS Statement on CDC Regulation Extending Eviction Relief Through End of 2020
09/01/20 LAS Calls on NY Legislature to Reconvene to Extend Eviction Moratorium Indefinitely

August 2020

08/31/20 LAS Statement Concerning NYPD Disciplinary Matrix
08/27/20 Criminal Justice Reform Groups Call to Publish Correction Officer Disciplinary Information
08/27/20 LAS to Mayor: Force Homeless New Yorkers From Hotels And We’ll See You In Court
08/26/20 LAS Calls on Governor Cuomo, Legislature to Implement Indefinite Eviction Moratorium
08/26/20 LAS Reaffirms Need For City to Enact Sweeping DNA-Related Reforms
08/24/20 LAS Statement on Staten Island DA Disclosure of NYPD Officers With Credibility Issues
08/21/20 LAS Additional Statement in Response to Uniformed Fire Officers Association v. Bill de Blasio
08/20/20 LAS Statement in Response to Ruling in Uniformed Fire Officers Association v. Bill de Blasio
08/19/20 LAS Calls on OCME to Issue Progress Reports on Effort to Reduce DNA Database Profiles
08/18/20 Advisory: Officials, Workers, Community Leaders Rally for Workplace COVID Protections
08/18/20 LAS Statement on the 100th Anniversary of the Ratification of the 19th Amendment
08/17/20 LAS Files Amicus Brief Against Police Union Efforts to Deny Access to Disciplinary Records
08/12/20 LAS Statement on OCA Revised Procedure for Addressing Eviction Proceedings
08/10/20 LAS Decries COVID-19 Outbreak At Four Upstate DOCCS Prisons
08/07/20 LAS Calls on Governor Cuomo to Extend Eviction Moratorium Indefinitely 
08/06/20 LAS Statement on Agreement to Address Issues with Rikers Island Consent Judgment
08/05/20 LAS, Faith Leaders Call on Governor Cuomo to Extend Eviction Moratorium
08/05/20 LAS and Uptrust Launch Court Date Reminder Text Message Service
08/05/20 Public Advocate, LAS Call On Cuomo to Extend Eviction Moratorium
08/05/20 LAS, Proskauer Secure Victory to Provide Retroactive Guardianship Subsidies
08/04/20 Appellate Court Blocks “Public Charge” Immigration Rule
08/04/20 14,000 Households Across NYC Face Likely Eviction as Statewide Moratorium Expires