News & Press

SRO Hotel Fined for Illegal Rentals

An upper West Side Single Room Occupancy (SRO) hotel was fined $65,000 for continuing to offer short-term stays to tourists in violation of a March court ruling that forbade it. Under the law, SROs cannot rent rooms for less than 30 days. MFY Legal Services has taken a leading role in the fight against illegal …

Harassment by Construction: Crown Heights Tenants Fight Back

Represented by MFY Legal Services, tenants in a Crown Heights building filed suit against their  landlord on June 7, 2016, demanding an end to almost two years of unbearable living conditions. Tenants say the landlord began a gut renovation in February 2015 without proper building permits. Tenants have lived through periods with no heat or …

Advocates Demand Fair Treatment of Homeowners with Limited English Proficiency

MFY Legal Services joined with consumer advocates across the country to ask the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and other regulators to take action to ensure fair treatment of Limited English Proficient (LEP) homeowners. A report issued by Americans for Financial Reform details how language access remains a significant hurdle for many communities seeking access to …

Class Action Compels NYC Transit to Change Unfair Access-A-Ride Policies

A class action lawsuit challenging unconstitutional practices of Access-A-Ride, New York City’s paratransit service for people with disabilities, received preliminary approval on May 19, 2016. Five plaintiffs with disabilities were represented by MFY Legal Services and Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP. Once the settlement is finally approved, NYC Transit must provide specific information on why …

MFY Works with City Council to Rein In Abusive Three-Quarter Houses

MFY Legal Services joined three-quarter house residents and City Council members on the steps of City Hall on April 20, 2016 to draw attention to a package of bills that will require more public information on the three-quarter houses, prevent landlords from requiring tenants to attend specific substance-abuse programs or get physicals from certain doctors, …

MFY Supports Council Bills to Prevent Tenant Displacement & Harassment

MFY Legal Services attorney Tangier Harper testified today at a NYC Council hearing in support of four bills that will help to prevent tenant displacement and harassment. Ms. Harper cited the case of Bronx tenants who were compelled to vacate their building after a fire. The landlord made no repairs until forced to do so …

Zip Code Matters for Homeowners Trying to Fight Foreclosures

MFY Legal Services attorney Linda Jun is one of four primary authors of a report released today by New Yorkers for Responsible Lending that lays bare the consequences for homeowners of inconsistent court procedures on foreclosure in New York State. Divergent Paths: The Need for More Uniform Standards and Practices in New York State’s Residential …

Victory for SRO Residents

MFY joined with other advocates in submitting an amicus brief supporting the city’s position that Single Room Occupancy (SRO) hotels must rent rooms for a minimum of one month. On March 17, 2016 the appeals court ruled in the city’s favor in a case involving the 227-room Imperial Court Hotel in Manhattan, which had been …

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