CITY CONTINUES COMMITMENT TO ANTI-EVICTION LEGAL SERVICES

Since first expanding its purview to homelessness prevention efforts in 2004, DHS has focused on developing alternative means of assistance for households on the brink of homelessness. On Tuesday, June 22, the agency affirmed its commitment to court-based legal services, and announced the results of an innovative pilot program aimed to help more New Yorkers remain stably housed in their communities.

Launched as a pilot program in 2005, the Housing Help Program will fund three courtrooms in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens to provide legal representation for families facing eviction. The program's goal is to provide comprehensive legal advice, financial aid and social services to help families avoid homelessness and stay in their homes.

"The Housing Help Program successfully demonstrates that we can assist families facing eviction and help them avoid having to ever enter our shelter system," said Commissioner Seth Diamond. "When people remain in their homes, it's good for families, communities and the City as a whole."

In 2008, more than 318,000 New York families faced eviction. The majority of low-income families who received an eviction petition represented themselves in housing court, putting themselves at a disadvantage against landlords who were typically represented by attorneys.

Designed and implemented by a collaboration between DHS, the Civil Court of New York and the United Way of New York City, HHP is the first program of its kind in the nation. Like Homebase, the pilot initially began in a South Bronx neighborhood, selected for its high rate of eviction, shelter entry and poverty. The program targets families who face eviction and who are at highest risk of homelessness, meaning that they earn less than 125 percent of poverty level, have had a recent shelter stay or recently lost employment or public assistance benefits.

According to a 2010 Seedco Policy Center evaluation, 91 percent of families in the pilot program overcame eviction- using the assistance provided to remain in their homes, regain possession of their homes, or become re-housed in another location. In addition, Seedco found HHP to be a cost-effective alternative to traditional anti-eviction services, saving the City $300,000 annually.

"We are proud of the strides we have taken to prevent homelessness in our City, including our efforts through the Housing Help Program," said Deputy Commissioner for Prevention, Policy and Planning. "Through partnership between the City, the Courts and the non-profit sector, we can offer solutions to New Yorkers who are experiencing a housing crisis and make it known to them that shelter is not their only option."