Urban Justice Center

THE URBAN JUSTICE CENTER WAS ESTABLISHED TO ENGAGE IN LEGAL ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF THE HOMELESS, INDIGENT, DISENFRANCHISED, AND THOSE MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHO HAVE BEEN DEPRIVED OF CIVIL AND ECONOMIC RIGHTS IN THE NEW YORK CITY METROPOLITAN AREA.

THE SAFETY NET PROJECT (SNP) PROVIDED DIRECT LEGAL SERVICES TO APPROXIMATELY 1557 CLIENTS THIS YEAR. SERVICES PROVIDED INCLUDED BENEFITS ASSISTANCE, EVICTION DEFENSE LITIGATION, AFFIRMATIVE LITIGATION IN HOUSING MATTERS, HOMELESSNESS ADVOCACY, SOCIAL WORK SERVICES, AND ADVOCATING TO STRENGTHEN PUBLIC BENEFITS, TENANT RIGHTS, AND THE RIGHTS OF HOMELESS NEW YORKERS. ALONG WITH CONDUCTING MANY KNOW YOUR RIGHTS WORKSHOPS, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, TRAININGS, AND MEDIA CAMPAIGNS, IN 2021 SNP'S HOMELESS ADVOCATES REPRESENTED OVER 100 DISABLED SHELTER RESIDENTS FACING INVOLUNTARY TRANSFER FROM SAFE HOTEL ROOMS TO DANGEROUS CONGREGATE SHELTERS. GIVEN THE EVICTION CRISIS TRIGGERED BY THE PANDEMIC, SNP ASSISTED MANY TENANTS TO APPLY FOR RENT RELIEF AND SUBSIDIES, INCLUDING THE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (ERAP). SNP ALSO CONTINUED TO ADVOCATE FOR SAFE SHELTER FOR THE CITY'S HOMELESS POPULATION; CONTINUED ADVOCACY FOR INCREASED HOUSING SUBSIDY LEVELS TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS; CONTINUED LEADERSHIP ROLES IN THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL NYC COALITION AND HOUSING JUSTICE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE; AND PROVIDED EXTENSIVE LEGAL SUPPORT FOR COVID-19 RELATED TENANT ORGANIZING EFFORTS.

THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROJECT (DVP) WAS LAUNCHED IN 2003 AS A RESPONSE TO THE DISCONNECT AMONGST LEGAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES PROVIDERS FOR SURVIVORS OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE IN NEW YORK CITY. FROM ONE FULL-TIME STAFF PERSON IN ONE BOROUGH, DVP HAS EXPANDED TO 20 FULL TIME STAFF MEMBERS AND A TEAM OF OVER 15 LEGAL INTERNS, COLLEGE LEVEL INTERNS, AND VOLUNTEERS WHO PROVIDE SERVICES IN ALL FIVE BOROUGHS OF NYC. OUR MISSION IS TO HELP SURVIVORS OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE (IPV) AND THEIR CHILDREN LIVE FREE OF VIOLENCE AND ABUSE. WE CONSIDER IPV IN ANY RELATIONSHIP, REGARDLESS OF GENDER, SEXUAL IDENTITY, AND IMMIGRATION STATUS TO BE A HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION. OUR WORK FOCUSES ON PROVIDING LEGAL AND EXPERT ADVOCACY SERVICES TO PROMOTE JUSTICE AND VIGOROUSLY DEFEND AND PROTECT SURVIVOR HUMAN RIGHTS. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, OUR TEAM PROVIDES LEGAL REPRESENTATION IN FAMILY, INTEGRATED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND IMMIGRATION COURTS; MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES; ADVOCACY WITH AND ON BEHALF OF SURVIVORS; CASE MANAGEMENT; EMPOWERMENT, FINANCIAL, HOUSING, NUTRITION, AND OTHER SUPPORTIVE/EDUCATIONAL GROUPS; AND ON-GOING INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ACROSS THE CITY. DVP PROVIDES IPV SERVICES CITYWIDE WITH OFFICES IN BROOKLYN, MANHATTAN, QUEENS, STATEN ISLAND, AND THE BRONX LOCATED IN THE VARIOUS FAMILY JUSTICE CENTERS AS WELL AS AN ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY-BASED OFFICE IN BROOKLYN. OUR COMMUNITY-BASED MODEL ALLOWS SURVIVORS OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE TO ACCESS SERVICES WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES WHILE ALSO BUILDING DISCREET COMMUNITY COOPERATION AND LINKAGES BETWEEN DVP AND NEIGHBORHOOD-BASED CBOS. DVP'S EXPERTISE LIES IN THE PROVISION OF TRAUMA-INFORMED AND SURVIVOR CENTERED IPV SERVICES. OUR OVERARCHING PURPOSE IS TO ASSIST IPV SURVIVORS TO WORK WITH US TO ACHIEVE SELF-DETERMINED GOALS AND ACHIEVE A SENSE OF EMPOWERMENT AND INDIVIDUALITY. OUR MODALITY TO SERVICE PROVISION ALONG WITH OUR DEEP SENSE OF CLIENT SELF-DETERMINATION HAS RESULTED IN DIVERSITY ACROSS ALL THOSE WHO SELF-IDENTIFY AS IPV SURVIVORS. OUR CLIENTS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THOSE WHO ARE D(D)EAF AND HARD OF HEARING, BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED; THOSE WITH PHYSICAL CHALLENGES AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES; SURVIVORS WHO IDENTIFY AS LGBTQ, GENDER FLUID; NON BINARY; AND CIS MALE; AND BOTH DOCUMENTED AND UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT SURVIVORS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY.

THE STREET VENDOR PROJECT (SVP) IS A MEMBERSHIP-BASED PROJECT WITH NEARLY 2,000 NYC VENDOR MEMBERS WHO ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE A VENDORS' MOVEMENT FOR PERMANENT CHANGE. SVP REACHES OUT TO VENDORS IN THE STREETS AND STORAGE GARAGES AND TEACH THEM ABOUT THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES. THEY PROVIDE DIRECT LEGAL ASSISTANCE, HELPING WITH FINES AND COURT REPRESENTATION. THEY PUBLISH REPORTS AND FILE LAWSUITS TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT VENDORS AND THE ENORMOUS CONTRIBUTION THEY MAKE TO OUR CITY. FINALLY, THEY HELP VENDORS GROW THEIR BUSINESSES BY LINKING THEM WITH SMALL BUSINESS TRAINING AND LOANS.

VARIOUS OTHER PROGRAMS.