Free Lawyers for Tenants
Under the Universal Access to Legal Services Law, also called the right-to-counsel law, some tenants in New York City — no matter their zip code or immigration status — can get a free lawyer from start to finish in their New York City Housing Court case. This depends on 2 things:
- Your income and how many people live with you
- The type of court case
Income Eligible
Whether you get a free lawyer depends on your income and how many people live with you. You can get a free lawyer if your yearly household income is less than the amount in the chart below.
| # of People in Your Home | Household Yearly Income |
|---|---|
| 1 | $29,160 |
| 2 | $39,440 |
| 3 | $49,720 |
| 4 | $60,000 |
| 5 | $70,280 |
| 6 | $80,560 |
| 7 | $90,840 |
| 8 | $101,120 |
| For families/households with more than 8 persons, add $10,280 for each additional person. | |
Type of Court Case
Tenants with Holdover cases and Nonpayment cases get a free lawyer. Your court papers say the type of case. A nonpayment case is what an owner starts to collect rent. A holdover case is what an owner starts to evict a tenant for a different reason than nonpayment of rent. Learn more about Holdover and Nonpayment cases.
If you have a termination of tenancy case against you brought by the New York Housing Authority (NYCHA), you are also eligible to get a free lawyer for your case.
How Can a Lawyer Help?
A lawyer can help by:
- Representing you in court
- Stopping an eviction
- Getting an order for repairs
- Figuring out if the rent you are charged is too high
- Connecting you with service agencies that can help
- Negotiating with your landlord
- Preparing and filing court papers
How Do I Find a Lawyer?
To find out if you qualify and to find free legal help through nonprofit legal services provider partners:
- Call 718-557-1379 or 212-962-4795 from Monday – Friday, between 9am and 5pm
- Call 311 and ask for the Tenant Helpline
- Email [email protected]. In your email, give your name, telephone number, and Housing Court case index number for your eviction case
- Contact a nonprofit law office near you that provides free legal help for tenants
- If you are already in the courthouse, ask the Clerk or Court Attorney in the courtroom about getting a free lawyer
More Information
For more information, go to Housing Court Answers or HRA's Office of Civil Justice.
If you don’t qualify but want information about other ways to get legal help, visit Finding Legal Assistance.