Press Releases

MFY Applauds MTA Decision to Not Raise Fares

MFY Legal Services joined disability advocates across the city in applauding the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s decision to keep the base fare on subways and buses at $2.75. MFY and other advocates had urged Governor Cuomo, who controls the MTA, to reject the fare hike, showing how the increase to $3 would have had a big …

Consumer Coalition to Trump: No Backsliding on Consumer Protections

New Yorkers for Responsible Lending, a 180-member coalition in which MFY plays a leading role, reaffirmed its commitment to the goal of financial justice for all New Yorkers and pledged to be a “firewall” against any federal backsliding on consumer financial protection, fair lending and marketplace oversight under the Trump administration.

New Report: NY Courts Do Not Accommodate People with Disabilities

A report released today by MFY Legal Services shows that New York’s Unified Court System is not effectively administering a program that would enable people with disabilities to access the court system and exercise their right to fully participate in court proceedings to which they are a party.  The report details the specific problems of …

Judge Approves Final Settlement to Change Unfair Access-A-Ride Policies

A federal judge approved the settlement of a class action lawsuit filed by five New Yorkers with disabilities against New York City Transit (NYCT) yesterday. The suit challenged NYCT’s unconstitutional policies of Access-A-Ride, the City’s paratransit service for people with disabilities. Plaintiffs were represented by MFY Legal Services and Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP. Under …

African-American Homeowners Charge HUD with Discrimination

African-American homeowners whose government-guaranteed mortgages were auctioned by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) to the highest bidder filed a class action lawsuit on Friday in federal court, exposing the discriminatory impact of HUD’s Note Sale Program, compelling HUD to review the disparate racial impact of the Program and demanding that HUD …

MFY Attorneys Selected for Groundbreaking Race-Equity Training

MFY Supervising Attorney Maia Goodell and Staff Attorney Karla Johnson are among 41 Fellows who have been selected to participate in the 2016 Racial Justice Training Institute, a national training program or the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law that builds the capacity of low-income people’s advocates to deploy up-to-date racial justice advocacy skills …

New Report Shows Illegal Airbnb Rentals Overtaking NYC Housing Market

A report by MFY Legal Services an Housing Conservation Coordinators shows that Airbnb rentals are having a disastrous impact on NYC’s housing market and significantly contributing to the decrease in affordable units, especially in Manhattan and Brooklyn.  More than half of Airbnb’s lists are illegal under city housing law, and 30% of listings are controlled …

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 …

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