According to a report by NYC Comptroller Brad Lander, the Right to Counsel (RTC) law in New York City has not been upheld effectively, leaving many low-income tenants without necessary legal representation during a dramatic increase in eviction cases. Legal representation for tenants facing eviction has fallen from 71% to 42% overall, with the Bronx experiencing a drop to 31%. Since 2022, almost 34,000 families have been evicted, emphasizing the importance of legal counsel, as 89% of those who had it remained housed. Systemic issues like underfunding and overwhelming caseloads continue to impair the RTC's effectiveness.
The Right to Counsel for low-income tenants facing eviction was one of New York City's great promises to keep families in their homes - but the Adams Administration has utterly failed to keep it.
Legal representation is widely regarded as an effective tool to prevent eviction, with 89% of tenants who had full legal counsel in fiscal year 2024 remained housed.
After the expiration of a pandemic-era eviction moratorium in January 2021, eviction filings surged by 440% from 33,000 to 177,000 overwhelming legal service providers.
Caseloads at nonprofit providers more than doubled to 70,000 in FY 2022 from 33,000 households in FY 2019, but staffing and funding have not kept pace.
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