Poverty Justice Solutions

This fact sheet summarizes the mission of Poverty Justice Solutions, an initiative that seeks to close the justice gap in New York City by expanding the pool of attorneys available to represent low-income New Yorkers in Housing Court and apply an innovative problem-solving approach to housing court matters across the city.

Jordan Dressler, the director of the recently created New York City Office of Civil Justice, discusses Mayor Bill de Blasio's ambitious five-year plan to provide free or low-cost legal assistance to every low-income New Yorker facing eviction, deportation, or other potentially life-altering civil proceedings.

Poverty Justice Solutions fellows sat down with New York City Housing Court Supervising Judge Jean Schneider for a roundtable discussion on changes underway in housing court. Judge Schneider commented on the growing number of tenants with legal representation, as well as the importance of procedural reforms for promoting access to justice.