The RTCNYC Coalition and statewide members of our Housing Courts Must Change! campaign are fighting for Statewide Right to Counsel legislation (S2721), introduced by Senator Rachel May, and $260 million in the fiscal year 2025 state budget. This important legislation would guarantee tenants across New York State the right to a lawyer when facing an eviction – ALL tenants, ALL cases, in every part of New York. Call your electeds and New York State leadership TODAY to make sure they support Right to Counsel!

How can I contact NYS leadership and my state legislators?

Step 1:  Go to bit.ly/CallYourNYSLegislator on your phone, laptop, or other device.

Step 2: Enter your name, address, zip code, and phone number.

Step 3: Click "Call Officials", review the call script (included below), and follow the steps on the page. Don’t hang up between calls - you'll be directed to call multiple state legislators and then, with the click of a button, email them. 

Curious whether your legislators support Statewide Right to Counsel? Consult our legislative support tracker!

CALL SCRIPT

Hi, my name is [Name] and I am a New York State resident.

I am calling to urge your office to support the passage of Statewide Right to Counsel legislation (S2721-May) and funding of $260 million in the fiscal year 2025 budget, for tenants facing eviction. The version of Right to Counsel that was included in the Senate and Assembly One House resolutions this year does not actually guarantee any protection for tenants. Tenants need to see some key changes to this bill: we need mandated adjournments until a tenant has accessed their attorney, to ensure that RTC is actually enforceable. And we need the bill to apply--and apply immediately--to NYC and Westchester tenants who are eligible for local RTC laws.

We also urge your office to support a statewide, strong Good Cause Eviction law. RTC will give tenants the representation they need to raise the Good Cause defense, and Good Cause will prevent tens of thousands of evictions each year!

Finally, NYS tenants do not want to see ANY rollbacks of our rights this year. Our communities are still recovering from the pandemics and suffering from skyrocketing rents. We need to be protected, not left more vulnerable. Will your office stand with us?

INSTRUCTIONS HANDOUT, ENGLISH & SPANISH:

RESOURCES

Statewide Right to Counsel would guarantee ALL tenants across New York State the right to a lawyer when facing an eviction. For more materials and resources, go to www.righttocounselnyc.org/statewidertc. 

• Learn about the Housing Courts Must Change! Campaign
• Right to Counsel for ALL legislation: (May - S2721)
  
• 2-pager: What is Statewide Right to Counsel (English | Español)
• Check to see whether your state legislators support our legislation.
• For organizations: endorse our legislation or become a campaign member!
• Factsheet: How would NYC tenants benefit from statewide Right to Counsel? Bilingual (English and Spanish)