Tenants of 299 Troutman Street in Bushwick, Brooklyn are suing their landlord after many years of enduring severe neglect in their building, including extensive fire damage and dozens of uncorrected housing violations. The tenants are asking the Housing Court to appoint a 7-A administrator to manage their building, recognize their rent stabilized rights, and make …
In testimony before the New York City Council’s Committee on Public Housing, Mobilization for Justice Supervising Attorney Justin LaMort urges lawmakers to look carefully at the impact of the Rental Assistance Demonstration program on tenants, which provides federal funding to convert public housing properties into Section 8 project-based housing. While data is sketchy, preliminary research …
MFJ Attorney Sandra Gresl comments in an investigative report in City Limits that explores whether supportive housing providers in New York City use screening methods that rebuff some who need help. Supportive housing is a critical resource for people who are homeless and suffering from mental illness. There are insufficient units for all those needing …
In an Op Ed in City Limits on June 28, 2018, Mobilization for Justice Supervising Attorney Leah Goodridge, one of two tenant representatives on New York City’s Rent Guidelines Board, defended her call for a rent freeze and her vote against new rent increases. She showed that while New York rent regulated tenants enjoyed two …
Mobilization for Justice Supervising Attorney Leah Goodridge, one of two tenant representatives on New York City’s Rent Guidelines Board (RGB), led an effort to convince the Board to adopt a rent freeze. Despite compelling testimony on the impact of another rent hike on low-income tenants, and expert commentary on how earlier large rent increases were …
WNYC/Gothamist explores what happens when the “necessary evil” preventing homelessness falls apart. Reporter Lylla Younes describes in detail the closing of three-quarter houses operated by Interline, after operators were indicted for Medicaid fraud. MFJ Attorney Matthew Main commented that “While the exploitative practices of some three-quarter house operators are shamefully unjust, tenants have always emphasized …
In this article in AM-NY, MFJ Supervising Attorney Justin LaMort explains why MFJ and other legal services providers are suing the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) and the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) for problems in the way rent is calculated for tenants receiving enhanced Section 8 …
MFJ Attorney Sandra Gresl testified at a hearing of the New York City Council’s Committee on General Welfare in support of Intro. 147, which will enable the city to provide greater oversight of supportive housing providers, particularly in monitoring the reasons for admission denials and evictions of tenants. Greater oversight would also enable the city …
Uptown 1Radio talks to MFJ Attorney Justin LaMort about new report on Airbnb’s practices, which are shown to be contributing to racial gentrification in Harlem and other areas of NYC. LaMort notes that 1.2% of the available housing stock in NYC is off the rental market because the apartments are used exclusively for Airbnb rentals. …
After a Christmas Day fire ripped through their Chelsea walk-up forcing tenants who had lived in the building for decades to move to temporary shelter, the landlord sent termination notices ending their leases on account of the fire. NBC New York covered the story, and State Senator Brad Hoylman reached out to MFJ for help. …
MOBILIZATION FOR JUSTICE
Mobilization for Justice’s (MFJ) mission is to achieve justice for all. We prioritize the needs of people who are low-income, disenfranchised, or have disabilities as they struggle to overcome the effects of social injustice and systemic racism. We provide the highest-quality free, direct civil legal assistance, conduct community education and build partnerships, engage in policy advocacy, and bring impact litigation. MFJ also promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion in our workplace, and understands the need to eliminate all racial disparities to achieve justice for all.
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Masthead photo by Cindy Knoke.
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