City Cuts Funding for Tenant Lawyers Who Combat Landlord Harassment, Building Violations
The city’s Anti-Harassment Tenant Protection (AHTP) program was launched in 2016 to aid low-income households with issues like illegal rent hikes and dangerous building conditions. But the organizations that perform this work say their ability to help renters is being diminished by recent city contract cuts, which saw their funding for the next three years slashed by more than $25 million.
“It just shows a lack of actual big picture strategy of how to address the affordability crisis,” said Christine Clarke, chief of litigation and advocacy at one of these providers, Legal Services NYC. “We’re there, taking a front-row seat and working in the communities where people are experiencing this.”
