Providing Help for Seniors Facing Eviction

New York, NY —

Every year thousands of City residents, many of them elderly find themselves facing eviction without a lawyer. WNYC's Bob Hennelly has this report on an effort to help those seniors.

REPORTER: Under a bill introduced this week by City Councilwoman Rosie Mendez the City would have to provide legal representation in Housing Court for low income seniors. Maiza Beth-Lopez is with the St. Nick's Neighborhood Preservation Corporation.

BETH-LOPEZ: I am working with a senior who is being evicted right now. She has lived in the apartment for about 25 years. She desperately needs somebody to advocate on her behalf at Court.

REPORTER: Currently both the Legal Aid Society and Legal Services for New York say they turn away tens of thousands of tenants seeking representation. The City does offer some legal support for seniors with housing issues through the Department of Aging's Assigned Counsel project. For WNYC I am Bob Hennelly