Bill > A00162

This bill requires counties and cities to establish plans for providing free legal counsel to individuals facing eviction, ejectment, or foreclosure proceedings who have low incomes. An "eligible person" is defined as someone whose gross individual income does not exceed 125% of the federal poverty line. The bill outlines several methods for providing legal representation, including using public defenders, rotating private counsel through bar association plans, or assigning attorneys when no plan exists. Lawyers representing eligible individuals will be compensated at specified rates ($60 per hour for eviction/ejectment cases and $75 per hour for foreclosure cases), with limits on total compensation. The state will match dollar-for-dollar the amount counties appropriate for these legal representation plans. The bill also requires annual reporting on expenditures and mandates that public defenders represent eligible individuals at no charge, counseling them through all stages of proceedings. This legislation aims to ensure that low-income individuals have access to legal representation in housing-related legal proceedings, potentially helping to prevent displacement and protect tenants' and homeowners' rights.

Justice

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A162