Right to Counsel
In 2017, grassroots organizations won the right to legal representation in Housing Court for tenants facing eviction in New York City.
Right to Counsel NYC Coalition continues to strengthen power through Know Your Rights workshops, eviction defense trainings, and Court Watch. Recently they released their 2025 New York State of Evictions Fact Sheet, developed with data analysis by BetaNYC and JustFix using eviction filings and executions data from the New York State Office of Court Administration. The numbers are stark:
- Since 2020, landlords have sued nearly 850,000 households for eviction.
- More than 175,000 households are facing eviction right now.
- Ten cities and counties – including New York City, Buffalo, Rochester, and Yonkers – are bearing the brunt of the crisis.
- Twenty legislative districts have some of the highest eviction case numbers in the state.
- Last year, thousands of evictions were carried out by marshals, with at least 40% occurring during the winter months – forcing families into extreme cold and an already overwhelmed shelter system.
This crisis is not inevitable. It is the result of policies that prioritize landlord profit over a person’s fundamental right to a home. Instead of protecting tenants’ rights, our court system primarily functions as a pipeline to displacement.
On the state level, Right to Counsel is also organizing around the Statewide Right to Counsel, Clean Hands Act, and Winter Eviction Moratorium.