Thursday, March 31, 2011

Temporary Restraining Order Prevents City From Stopping April Advantage Rent Subsidies For 15,000 Current Advantage Recipients

Here is the latest on the fight by the Legal Aid Society to prevent NYC from reneging on its promises to Work Advantage tenants and landlords. Hopefully NYC will come to its senses and avoid squandering millions on more costly shelters. It's interesting and comforting to see a heavy hitting law firm like Weil, Gotshal & Manges get in the mix. Kudos to them for working with the Legal Aid Society on a social issue as important as this one.

Gregory
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Temporary Restraining Order Prevents City From Stopping April Advantage Rent Subsidies For 15,000 Current Advantage Recipients
THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2011

New York County Supreme Court Justice Judith J. Gische issued a temporary restraining order late Monday preventing the City from terminating Advantage rent subsidy payments due in April for 15,000 formerly homeless families and individuals. The Legal Aid Society and the law firm of Weil, Gotshal & Manages LLP filed a class action lawsuit on Monday seeking a class-wide injunction to prevent the City from stopping Advantage rent subsidies for these 15,000 formerly homeless households before their Advantage subsidy agreements expire.
Steven Banks, Attorney-in-Charge of The Legal Aid Society, told the New York Law Journal that "moving forward with rent cut offs for 15,000 households would wreck havoc with the shelter [system], overwhelm the housing court and cost millions of dollars in the long run in increased shelter placements." He said the affected families and individuals "would never have moved into these apartments that they can't afford without these subsidies."
Steven Banks, Judith Goldiner, Jane Sujen Bock, and Joshua Goldfein are handling the case for The Legal Aid Society with paralegal support provided by Christina Schrum-Herrera. Representing the plaintiffs from Weil, Gotshal are Konrad Cailteux, Debra Dandeneau, Isabella Lacayo, Jesse Morris, and Adam Lavine, together with paralegal Elizabeth McConville.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, got my 30 day notice today. Work Advantage did not pay for Jan, Feb, and that made my landlord angry enough to start the process on me. They paid March and I got notice that they were paying April. My landlord did not give me a paper lease for the second year so where is my protection now? I pay my portion every month from the "real" lease. I need a lawyer!! PLEASE, SOMEBODY HELP ME!

Anonymous said...

TRY CONTACTING H.P.D.. ALSO APPLY FOR PUBLIC HOUSING,AT 1 FORHAM PLAZA ...ALSO APPLY FOR A FAIR HEARING ...HOPE THAT HELPS OUT ANONYMOUS ...GOOD LUCK

Anonymous said...

THE CITY AND STATE IS WILLING TO PAY OVER $2,000 FOR A FAMILY TO STAY IN THE SHELTERS .BUT THE CITY IS ONLY WILLING TO GIVE A RENTAL SUBSIDY OF $962.00,TO THESE FAMILIES TO MOVE OUT THE SHELTERS ..THIS IS BULLSHIT ....

Carla said...

I think it is a good thing that people receive help from the government or other agencies to be able to rent a place to live. That contributes to having less people living on the streets and working to improve the country. I heard in Argentina, the President gave many subsidies for people to get apartments in Buenos Aires at USD400 and they were all very happy and grateful. Economists say that is going to help solve the mosr urgent matters in terms of poverty!