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We work to preserve homes, prevent eviction and displacement by providing critical legal services. Through our direct representation and law reform efforts, we promote healthy, stable, affordable housing for our clients and remove the systemic barriers that keep people trapped in cycles of homelessness.
Every day, in courthouses and communities across the city, we advocate for the rights of all New Yorkers. Learn more about the services we provide.
Our specialized teams have experience working on nearly every area of law that impacts New Yorkers. Explore the ways we fight on behalf of clients and communities.
Citywide Housing Practice
Homeless Rights Project
Foreclosure Prevention Project
Housing Justice Unit-Group Advocacy
Munonyedi “Mun” Clifford and her team are fighting to ensure low-income New Yorkers have a voice in New York City’s housing court.
We worked with White & Case LLP to bring Butler et al. vs. City of New York, a federal class action case challenging disability-based discrimination in the City’s homeless shelter system. Every night, there are nearly 60,000 people sleeping the City’s shelter system—a high proportion of them have difficulties resulting from a disability. We secured a settlement with the City on behalf of a class of individuals who have a disability and who currently live in a shelter, who will seek shelter in the future, or who tried to access shelter on or after May 14, 2012.
Our work seeks to shift the power dynamic, ensuring New Yorkers have access to shelter and affordable housing, and that tenants have the resources they need to advocate for their rights.
Households who gained critical protections against eviction after we brought litigation to reopen the state pandemic rental assistance portal.
Public housing residents expected to benefit from urgently-needed building repairs through the Public Housing Preservation Trust legislation that LAS helped pass.
Families make up three-quarters of the homeless shelter population.
The Legal Aid Society changes the lives of our clients with the help of our generous supporters.