The Statewide Right to Counsel legislation is a part of the Housing Courts Must Change! (HCMC) Campaign, a statewide campaign launched in 2020 to transform the courts from an “eviction machine” to a place that upholds tenants’ rights, holds landlords accountable, and enables tenants to remain in their homes. Our goals, during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, include slowing down eviction cases and expanding Right to Counsel across New York State, so ALL tenants have and know about their rights and are emboldened to organize and fight to stop evictions.

What is Statewide Right to Counsel?

Statewide Right to Counsel guarantees ALL tenants across New York State the right to a lawyer when facing an eviction. Click the links below to learn more about the Statewide Right to Counsel legislation:

Statewide RTC Campaign 2-Pager:

Download in English and Spanish

Statewide RTC Bills:

New York State Senate (S06678)

New York State Assembly (A07570)

Join us to build a movement for Right to Counsel across New York State!

Statewide RTC Endorsement Form and Logo Upload (Requires Google Sign-In) 

Statewide RTC Endorsement Form (No Google Sign-In Required)

Endorsers

AARP New York

Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development (ANHD)

Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A

CAMBA Legal Services

CASA - New Settlement

Catholic Migration Services

Community Resource Center of Larchmont and Mamaroneck

Crown Heights Tenant Union

Flatbush Tenant Coalition

Goddard Riverside Law Project

Housing Court Answers

Housing for All

Housing Justice for All

Hudson Valley Justice Center

Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing

John Jay College Institute for Justice and Opportunity

JustCause

Legal Services of Central New York, Inc.

Lenox Hill Neighborhood House 

Lifting Up Westchester, Inc.

Make the Road New York

Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem

New York Legal Services Coalition

Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation (NMIC)

Program Design and Development, LLC

Safety Net Project - Urban Justice Center

St Nicks Alliance

Syracuse Tenant Union

United Neighbors Organization (UNO)

United Way of Westchester and Putnam

Westchester Children's Association

Westchester County Board of Legislators

Westchester Residential Opportunities, Inc.