Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins, a Democrat, says the “Office of Housing Counsel” in the Department of Social Services is years in the making. Former County Executive George Latimer, a fellow Democrat, first signed the “Access to Counsel” in 2023, but before that, the county spent years studying the idea.
Now, Social Services Commissioner Leonard Townes says the office is officially ready to work, coordinating tenant protection programs and procuring free legal representation for eligible residents.
“We know that every eviction can’t be saved, can’t be prevented, but I think everyone who is facing eviction should have the right to advice and/or legal counsel," says Townes.
The office opens as Westchester County, like much of the state, struggles with a housing crisis. United Way of Westchester and Putnam says almost 40 percent of residents are living in poverty or paycheck-to-paycheck, and housing costs are among their biggest economic stressors.
Jenkins says residents who face eviction usually can’t afford to hire a lawyer, which can lead to them getting walloped in court. He hopes the Office of Housing Counsel can save the county money by helping people stay in their apartments and homes.
“When we started doing this, I would talk to people from an economic development perspective, from a financial perspective and say, ‘You know what? We’re not really nice people, we’re just fiscally responsible people. Because it costs us a lot to keep people in homeless shelters, and much more than people actually realize,'" says Jenkins.
According to the law, the Office of Housing Counsel will represent anyone whose household income is at or below 300 percent of federal poverty guidelines, or below 60 percent of the county’s average median income. They must also have what the county calls a “covered proceeding,” which includes eviction proceedings, challenges to rent increases based on a landlord’s failure to provide notice, any proceeding that would result in the loss of rental subsidies or rental assistance, and more.
“If you’re behind on your rent, if you’ve been locked out, if you’re having problems with essential services like heat or hot water, if you’re struggling with a high rent increase, if you’ve gotten a termination notice from a public housing authority or Section 8 administrator, and certainly if you’ve received an eviction notice, we want you to reach out to us," says Officer Director George Asante.
Asante says the office does not directly provide legal services, but it will connect residents with lawyers from local organizations like the Hudson Valley Justice Center and Legal Services of the Hudson Valley.
Before the law was passed, Legal Services of the Hudson Valley conducted a pilot program in Yonkers. CEO Rachel Chazin Halperin says Westchester County is the first county in the nation to pass a law like this.
“It’s quite unique," she says. "I’m very proud to be a part of this project, and very excited to get moving.”
County legislators were also on hand to celebrate the office’s opening Thursday. Democratic Legislator Jewell Williams Johnson says she hopes the office can provide comfort to tenants during what can be a traumatic or embarrassing experience.
Democratic Legislator David Imamura hopes it will lower eviction cases overall.
“If you are represented in housing court you have a 90 percent chance of not being evicted," he notes. "Because of this, frivolous eviction claims will not be filed, because landlords will know they will no longer be dealing with people who representing pro se, they are going to be dealing with people who are represented.”
Asante says residents can reach out to the office directly, on its website, or by calling the United Way’s 211 helpline, which operates 24/7.
