Advocates Press for More 'Right to Counsel' Funds, As New Yorkers Facing Eviction Still Struggle to Get Legal Help

The Right to Counsel initiative connects low-income tenants facing eviction with legal representation in housing court. A budget proposal includes increased funding for the program, but advocates say the resources remain insufficient. A report from the Mayor’s Office shows the number of households assisted dropped by 15 percent during the first four months of 2026 compared with the previous year. Tenant representation has declined since the end of the COVID-19 eviction moratorium in January 2022. Eligibility expanded citywide, increasing demand beyond early limited zip codes. Public defenders and providers report that eligible tenants are turned away due to capacity constraints.

"Mayor Zohran Mamdani's latest budget proposal includes a boost for the city's Right to Counsel initiative, which connects low-income tenants facing eviction with legal representation in housing court-but advocates are pressing for more, as the program continues to struggle to meet demand."

"According to a recent report from the Mayor's Office, the number of households assisted with legal services through the program dropped by 15 percent during the first four months of 2026 compared to the previous year. The rate of tenant representation has steadily declined since the end of the COVID-19 eviction moratorium in January 2022, and since the city expanded Right to Counsel eligibility citywide, up from just a handful of zip codes initially."

""Everyone who is qualified should get a lawyer in housing court," Christina Brown, a public defender with the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG), said at a press conference outside Brooklyn housing court last month. "We end up having to turn away eligible tenants.""

"In his executive budget proposal unveiled last week, the mayor included $198.2 million for RTC, up from $180.6 million in the adopted budget the year prior, according to a City Hall spokesperson. Mamdani is also proposing a further boost next year, earmarking $222.4 million for the program in fiscal year 2028, the spokesperson said."

Read at City Limits