Why New York Must Double Down on Legal Services as Federal Cuts Loom
As federal safety net cuts loom—threatening food assistance, healthcare, and basic stability—New York must act decisively to keep vulnerable families in their homes.
During Covid-19, New York distributed $3.5 billion through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) to help struggling households pay their rent, keep the lights on, and put food on the table.
At the same time, Governor Hochul and the State Legislature recognized that rental assistance alone was not enough. Tenants also needed free legal help to navigate complex negotiations with landlords and avoid eviction. In response, the state invested $25 million in legal services for low-income renters outside of NYC.
The program—now called the Legal Services for Housing Stability Program (LSHSP)—has expanded to cover NYC tenants and added service capacity on Long Island and Upstate thanks to deeper support from the Governor and Legislature. It has proven time and again to be successful in keeping New Yorkers safely housed.
But with major federal cuts looming—including new restrictions on SNAP benefits, deep reductions to Medicaid, and rising healthcare costs that will further strain budgets and destabilize families—New York must do more to protect vulnerable households and preserve housing stability.
The final state budget must increase LSHSP funding for New York City providers from $13.3 million to $30 million—an investment that will directly prevent evictions and stabilize families at a moment of growing need.
As an Assembly Member representing some of neighborhoods in Brooklyn, with long time residents who are facing displacement due to gentrification and as legal advocates on the frontlines, we see firsthand the devastating impact federal cuts have on the communities we serve.
Legal Services NYC (LSNYC), the largest provider of free civil legal services in the country, already receives more calls for our help than we have advocates to answer—overwhelmingly from tenants with housing issues and families struggling to secure basic benefits.
Despite limited resources, we are working creatively to help as many people as possible and stabilize lives before crises escalate.
One of the most effective tools LSNYC has developed is our Housing–Public Benefits Initiative, funded through LSHSP. This program expands our traditional eviction defense work by providing clients with wraparound support to help them access critical public benefits and rental subsidies. This integrated model addresses both the legal case and the underlying financial instability driving it. The result is not just short-term relief, but long-term stability.
The impact has been transformative—keeping thousands of New Yorkers in their homes and out of housing court.
Consider Ms. Humphreys (a pseudonym), an elderly and disabled New Yorker who, after suffering a stroke, lost a portion of her Supplemental Security Income. Unable to afford her rent, she faced eviction and more than $10,000 in arrears.
Through Legal Services NYC’s Housing–Public Benefits Initiative, an advocate helped her restore her SSI benefits, secure an emergency city subsidy to cover back rent, and obtain an additional subsidy to stabilize her housing costs going forward. Today, she remains in her home—with security and peace of mind.
There are thousands of New Yorkers like Ms. Humphreys—unrepresented, at risk, and one setback away from losing everything. Federal cuts will only increase that risk.
If ever there was a time for New York State to double down on free legal help to low-income New Yorkers, it is now. Families are already living on the edge. They cannot afford to wait until they are pushed deeper into poverty—or onto the streets—before help arrives.
Now is the time to act—to keep families in their homes and protect the stability and dignity of communities across our great state.
New York has always risen to meet moments of crisis with bold, forward-looking solutions. This is one of those moments.
Assembly Member Maritza Davila represents the 53rd Assembly District in Brooklyn and serves as the Chair of the New York State Assembly’s Committee on Social Services. Shervon M. Small is Executive Director of Legal Services NYC.
