THE DIRECTORY

A directory of more than 600 free and low cost legal service organizations with their contact and intake information, searched by ZIP code, city or county and by topic. It also publishes guides to legal rights and self help material on 11 areas of law, but not criminal law, do it yourself court forms and letters, and a list of free hotlines by topic, and runs LiveHelp, a chat that helps people find the help they need, Monday to Thursday from 9 AM to 9 PM.

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Statewide, as a search by ZIP code, city or county

Do it yourself forms and letters →

Sent here by Being Evicted, The Rent Case In Court, When The Landlord Will Not Fix It, Heat In An Apartment, Getting The Deposit Back, Debt Collectors, Getting Divorced, Custody And Parenting Time, Small Claims Court

Nonprofit legal aid organizations working together on eviction cases in upstate New York and on Long Island. A few questions about the eviction case settle whether a renter qualifies, and one who does is matched to a legal aid organization nearby, which then makes contact for an appointment. Its partners, as it lists them, are the Legal Aid Society of Mid New York, the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, Legal Assistance of Western New York, Legal Services of Long Island, Legal Services of the Hudson Valley, Neighborhood Legal Services and Scale Justice.

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Upstate New York and Long Island, outside New York City

For

Renters facing eviction who qualify for free legal help

Sent here by Being Evicted, The Rent Case In Court

Civil legal services, criminal defense and juvenile rights work across New York City. In a housing matter, the neighborhood office in each borough is where it sees whether a person qualifies for free help, at the numbers listed here. It states that a tenant with an upcoming eviction case in housing court does not need to contact it, because every such case goes through the city's Right to Counsel program, called Universal Access, which settles whether an eligible tenant gets representation or advice. Its Employment Law Unit takes cases on workplace discrimination, unpaid wages or overtime, unemployment insurance, and family, medical or sick leave, through the Access to Benefits helpline at 888-663-6880, weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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The five boroughs of New York City

For

Low income New Yorkers

Phone

(212) 577-3300

Post

199 Water Street, New York, NY 10038

Housing, homelessness and foreclosure: how to get help →

Sent here by Being Evicted, The Rent Case In Court, When The Landlord Will Not Fix It, Heat In An Apartment, Locked Out By The Landlord, Getting Paid, Appealing Unemployment, Discrimination At Work

Free civil legal services and financial counseling, with intake mostly by a phone message or an online form and some meetings in the community. Its tenants' rights work represents individuals and families in Housing Court eviction cases and advocates before agencies including NYCHA and Section 8. Its eviction line, (929) 356-9582, weekdays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., is for Bronx residents without a lawyer who have recently received Housing Court papers. It also lists lines for foreclosure prevention, public housing, workers' rights and intimate partner violence.

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New York City, and through its hospital sites Long Island and Westchester; its eviction line is for the Bronx

For

People experiencing poverty or in crisis

Phone

(212) 613-5000

Email

info@nylag.org

Post

100 Pearl Street, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10004

Tenants' rights, and its work in eviction cases →

Sent here by Being Evicted, The Rent Case In Court, When The House Is Foreclosed, Getting Paid, Discrimination At Work, Orders Of Protection

Free civil legal services in elder law, housing rights, family defense, domestic violence, LGBTQIA+ rights, Social Security and public benefits, disability advocacy, veterans and military families, and health and wellness, including for people living with HIV and AIDS. Its housing team lists housing discrimination, habitability, landlord and tenant disputes, the right to privacy, security deposits, eviction prevention, accessibility, essential services, lease and contract enforcement, and legal representation among the areas it takes. Legal assistance is requested at the number here or through an online intake form, and its offices are open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Ulster and Sullivan counties

For

People who cannot afford representation, as its contact page puts it; its housing work is for low income individuals and families

Phone

1-877-574-8529

Email

info@lshv.org

Post

90 Maple Avenue, White Plains, NY 10601

Housing rights, and the areas its housing team takes →

Sent here by Being Evicted, The Rent Case In Court, When The Landlord Will Not Fix It, Getting The Deposit Back, Housing Discrimination, Getting Divorced, Custody And Parenting Time, Orders Of Protection, When A Court Appoints A Guardian

Free civil legal services, with intake by phone: intake runs each day until the schedule is filled, and an emergency, which it defines as a court hearing or other legal deadline within five business days, no food, no shelter, a child taken by CPS or an unauthorized person, no utilities, or a victim of domestic violence with a safety issue, is taken even when the schedule is full. Depending on the case and its resources, help ranges from full representation in court or at an agency hearing to brief advice, brief service, pro se clinics and referral. The cases it usually handles are domestic violence, where it can help obtain a protective order, a custody order and a divorce; housing, including eviction and foreclosure; and public benefits, among them welfare, food stamps, Medicaid, SSI and Social Security. It also handles consumer and disability issues. It works in English and Spanish, with interpretation in all languages through Language Line, and takes calls through relay at 711.

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Albany, Clinton, Columbia, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Hamilton, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, St. Lawrence, Warren and Washington counties, and the St. Regis Indian Reservation

For

Low income people; it puts the income guideline generally at or below 200% of the poverty level, higher or with no limit for some projects or clients, and states that a client must be a U.S. citizen or legal immigrant and that it does not generally serve prisoners

Phone

(833) 628-0087

Post

The Center for Civil Legal Services, 95 Central Avenue, Albany, NY 12206

Its history, which ends with the sixteen counties it serves →

Sent here by Being Evicted, The Rent Case In Court, When The House Is Foreclosed, Orders Of Protection, Custody And Parenting Time, Getting Divorced, Debt Collectors

A nonprofit law firm giving free civil legal advice and representation in housing, among them evictions, foreclosures, utility shutoffs, unsafe conditions and subsidized housing; family law, among them domestic violence, divorce, child and spousal support, and name changes; consumer issues, among them debt collection, repossessions, wage garnishments and bankruptcy; disability benefits, SSI and SSDI applications, denials and appeals; elder law, among them wills, powers of attorney and health care proxies; and immigration. Its Tenant Defense Project defends evictions, enforces housing discrimination protections and brings repair proceedings, free for renters in its area at risk of eviction with household income at 80% of the area median income or less, and it states that its help may be limited to advice in some cases. It gives priority to matters of housing stability, family safety and access to public benefits. Help is requested through its HelpLine or an online application, and an advocate is assigned after screening.

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Broome, Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego and Otsego counties, and agricultural workers and their families anywhere in New York State

For

Low income individuals and families, seniors, survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, and people with disabilities; it states that eligibility usually means household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines

Phone

(877) 777-6152

The Tenant Defense Project, and who qualifies →

Sent here by Being Evicted, The Rent Case In Court, When The Landlord Will Not Fix It, Housing Discrimination, When The House Is Foreclosed, Debt Collectors, What A Creditor Cannot Take, When They Take The Car Back, Getting Divorced, Orders Of Protection, Changing Your Name, Signing Over Authority

A non profit law firm giving free legal aid with civil problems from 7 offices. What each office takes differs, and it states that its projects and their eligibility change with its funding. Among them are evictions, public and subsidized housing, substandard conditions, mobile home issues, utility shut offs, mortgage and tax foreclosure, public assistance, food stamps, unemployment insurance, Social Security disability and SSI denials, health care and Medicaid, consumer debt lawsuits, wage garnishments and student loans, family law for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, including orders of protection, uncontested divorce clinics, name changes, and employment for people with criminal records. Its Fair Housing Enforcement Project investigates complaints of housing discrimination and litigates where it finds discrimination. It states that it cannot give advice about criminal law problems.

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Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Wayne and Yates counties

For

For many problems, people with low income and few assets who are U.S. citizens or have a U.S. citizen in the household, as it states

Phone

(315) 781-1465

Post

361 South Main Street, Geneva, NY 14456

Its projects, and what each one takes →

Sent here by Being Evicted, The Rent Case In Court, When The Landlord Will Not Fix It, Housing Discrimination, Renting The Lot, Owning The Home, When The House Is Foreclosed, When The Taxes Go Unpaid, Debt Collectors, What A Creditor Cannot Take, Appealing Unemployment, Orders Of Protection, Working With A Record

A not for profit public interest law firm giving free civil legal assistance. Its housing unit represents clients facing evictions, unsafe conditions, Housing Choice (Section 8) voucher problems, public and subsidized housing issues, discrimination and housing emergencies. It also takes public benefits matters, among them food stamps, utility shut offs, the Department of Social Services, Medicare and Medicaid; Social Security and SSI denials for people living with disabilities; and divorce and family court cases, with priority given to victims of domestic violence. Its Western New York Eviction Prevention Project gives free eviction defense to financially eligible tenants facing homelessness because of eviction, with advice, intervention with the landlord, representation in court and referrals, through a hotline at (844) 230-7376 or online intake, and its attorneys are present in courts across the region to answer questions and schedule an intake. It states that it does not take criminal or immigration matters. Its Court Street office in Buffalo takes walk ins, and its Main Street office sees people by appointment only.

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Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties

For

Low income individuals who qualify under its funders' eligibility criteria; it states that some of its services are free for everyone

Phone

(716) 847-0650

Post

47 Court Street, Buffalo, NY 14202

The Western New York Eviction Prevention Project →

Sent here by Being Evicted, The Rent Case In Court, When The Landlord Will Not Fix It, Housing Discrimination, Getting Divorced, Custody And Parenting Time

Free legal services from four units: civil legal services, attorneys for children in family court, criminal defense, and appeals and post conviction work. The civil unit takes housing, consumer, employment and family matters, among them unsafe living conditions, landlord and tenant disputes, eviction prevention, mortgage and tax foreclosure, housing discrimination, debt collection, credit reporting errors, wage disputes, wrongful termination and workplace discrimination, as well as reentry, immigration and estate planning. It is one of the partners in the Western New York Eviction Prevention Project, whose hotline is (844) 230-7376, and in a Foreclosure Prevention Project for homeowners in Erie, Niagara, Wyoming, Orleans and Genesee counties. Civil applications are taken online, or on printable intake forms sent by mail, fax or email, which it states can take up to 30 days to process. Its criminal defense unit takes referrals from the court system only, and it states that every person arrested in the City of Buffalo is represented at arraignment by one of its attorneys unless they have hired a private one.

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The Eighth Judicial District, which it lists as Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Allegany, Wyoming, Chautauqua, Orleans and Cattaraugus counties, unless a program states otherwise

For

Low income individuals and families who cannot afford an attorney, with income limits it puts at typically 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, varying by program

Phone

(716) 853-9555

Post

290 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14202

Housing, with the eviction and foreclosure prevention projects →

Sent here by Being Evicted, The Rent Case In Court, When The Landlord Will Not Fix It, Housing Discrimination, When The House Is Foreclosed, When The Taxes Go Unpaid, Debt Collectors, Getting Paid, Discrimination At Work, Being Arrested, After The Appeal

The city's Universal Access to Counsel program, known as Right to Counsel, as the city's own 311 pages describe it. A tenant facing eviction may be eligible through it for legal advice or representation; it is available to residential tenants regardless of ZIP code; legal service providers or the office's staff are at every housing court to connect tenants to the level of legal service that fits; and the office has a room in each housing court, open from 9 AM to 4 PM on weekdays except holidays. The same pages name the city's Tenant Helpline, reached through 311, as where eligibility for the program is answered.

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New York City, in every borough's housing court

For

Residential tenants facing eviction in housing court

Email

civiljustice@hra.nyc.gov

Tenant harassment, the Tenant Helpline and Right to Counsel →

Sent here by Being Evicted, The Rent Case In Court

Takes complaints about a residential building in New York City that does not have enough heat or hot water, for one apartment or a whole building, and about other apartment and building maintenance problems. A complaint about a single apartment needs the complainant's contact information. It states that the Department of Housing Preservation and Development investigates these complaints and issues violations to owners, tells the building's managing agent a complaint was made, and sends an inspector where the condition was not corrected or the complainant could not be reached, and that a New York City Housing Authority building has a maintenance complaint of its own. It answers at 311 within the city, and at the number here from outside the city, by internet phone or through a relay service, 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

Covers

New York City

Phone

(212) 639-9675

Apartment maintenance complaints, and what happens next →

Sent here by Heat In An Apartment, When The Landlord Will Not Fix It, The Rent Case In Court

Oversees rent regulation, rent control and rent stabilization, and for tenants investigates complaints about rent overcharges, maintenance problems and lease renewals, and answers requests for an apartment's rent registration history or whether it is rent stabilized. For a rent regulated apartment it takes a complaint of decreased services on form RA-81 for one apartment or RA-84 for a whole building, and a complaint of no heat or hot water on form HHW-1, or RA-84 for a whole building; it states that a heat or hot water complaint comes with a report from the city, county or municipal agency that found the lack. Overcharge, lease and decreased services applications can also be filed through its Rent Connect service.

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Statewide, for rent controlled and rent stabilized apartments

Phone

1-833-499-0343

Living conditions and essential services, with the heat and service complaint forms →

Sent here by Heat In An Apartment, When The Landlord Will Not Fix It, The Rent Case In Court

Assists tenants with complaints about harassment, rent security deposits, illegal evictions, predatory landlords and discrimination, and investigates reports of discrimination, predatory home loans and mortgages, and deed theft. Its housing complaint page takes rental and former rental issues, among them security deposits, unlawful evictions, lead paint or mold hazards and tenant blacklisting, as well as rental applications and home ownership.

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Statewide

Phone

1-800-771-7755

Post

The Capitol, Albany, NY 12224-0341

File a housing or real estate complaint →

Sent here by Getting The Deposit Back, Locked Out By The Landlord, Retaliatory Eviction, Housing Discrimination, When The House Is Foreclosed

Prosecutes businesses and individuals engaged in fraudulent, misleading, deceptive or illegal trade practices, and mediates complaints from individual consumers, more than 12,500 a year by its own count, with refunds and changes in business practices among the remedies it describes. Its complaint page takes retail and online purchases, services and service contracts, credit, vehicle leases and purchases, and the lemon law, and sends complaints about personal data and privacy to the office's Bureau of Internet and Technology.

Covers

Statewide

Phone

1-800-771-7755

Post

The Capitol, Albany, NY 12224-0341

File a consumer complaint →

Sent here by Deceptive Business Practices, Door To Door Sales, Lemon Law, The Gift Card, A Notary Is Not A Lawyer, The Letter About Your Information

The state's civil rights enforcement agency. It investigates complaints of discrimination and enforces the Human Rights Law in employment, housing, places open to the public, schools and credit, and where it finds discrimination it can order fines and damages, changes in policies, the reversal of discriminatory decisions and more. A report is taken by its Call Center, whose agents speak the caller's language, or on an online form; the Division reviews it to see whether the Human Rights Law covers it, and if so prepares a formal complaint for the person to sign. It states that reporting and filing are free and need no attorney, and that its investigators are neutral fact finders who cannot give legal advice. Its Housing Investigations Unit, at the Bronx central office, investigates complaints of housing discrimination statewide, a Section 8 Early Intervention Unit works with voucher holders facing discrimination from housing providers before a formal complaint, and its regional offices investigate complaints from the counties its contact page lists for each. TDD and TTY at (718) 741-8300.

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Statewide, from regional offices that each cover a list of counties

Phone

(844) 697-3471

Post

One Fordham Plaza, Bronx, NY 10458

Report discrimination, and how a report becomes a complaint →

Sent here by Discrimination At Work, Housing Discrimination, Working With A Record

Runs unemployment insurance, which it describes as weekly payments for eligible workers who lost a job through no fault of their own. Its Telephone Claims Center takes new claims and questions about a claim, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with interpreters for most languages. Its Claimant Advocate Office, (855) 528-5618, explains a determination and the hearing process and helps a claimant prepare for a hearing or appeal; it states that its staff are not lawyers and cannot represent anyone at a hearing.

Covers

Statewide

Phone

1-888-209-8124

The Claimant Advocate Office →

Sent here by Unemployment Benefits, Appealing Unemployment

Enforces the state labor laws on minimum wage, hours of work, employment of minors, payment of wages, farm labor and more, investigates complaints of labor law violations, and can issue fines and penalties. It states that it protects all workers, including those who are undocumented or paid off the books. Completed claim forms go by mail to its Albany office, and each district office covers the counties listed against it.

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Statewide, from district offices that each cover a list of counties

Phone

1-888-525-2267

Post

Building 12, Room 185B, W. Averell Harriman State Office Campus, Albany, NY 12226

District offices, with the counties each one covers →

Sent here by Getting Paid, Minimum Wage, The Pay Stub, Working Under Eighteen, Sick Leave

Runs the claims process for workers' compensation, which it describes as covering workers injured or made ill as a direct result of their job, with benefits for medical care, lost wages and survivors; it also handles disability benefits for an illness or injury off the job, and Paid Family Leave. Its customer service line answers Monday to Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, with free language assistance. Claims and claim documents go to one mailing address, PO Box 5205, Binghamton, NY 13902-5205, by email to wcbclaimsfiling@wcb.ny.gov, or by web upload. Most Board offices are open to the public by appointment only, made in advance at (844) 337-6301, to attend a hearing, file a claim or talk to a social worker or vocational rehabilitation counselor, and hearings can also be attended virtually. Its Advocate for Injured Workers answers injured workers' questions on complex and fatality claims and helps resolve complaints.

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Statewide

Phone

(877) 632-4996

Post

328 State Street, Schenectady, NY 12305-2318

Contact the Board, with where claims are sent and each office's line →

Sent here by Hurt At Work

Connects the public with private, paid attorneys in their area of New York from a panel its staff vet, with each attorney's bar registration checked and proof of insurance required. Requests are taken on an online form only; an attorney is then assigned for a possible consultation, and it states that contact is expected within five working days of the request. The referral is free and the first half hour consultation costs $35, except in personal injury, Social Security, medical malpractice, veterans and military law, unemployment and workers' compensation cases; further fees are between the client and the attorney, and the service does not set them. Its panel practices in more than 40 areas of law, among them bankruptcy, criminal, debts and collections, divorce, employment, family, housing and foreclosure, landlord and tenant, personal injury, vehicle and traffic, wills, trusts and estates, and workers' compensation. It states that its staff are not attorneys and cannot give legal advice, and that neither the client nor the attorney is obliged to go ahead after a referral.

Covers

New York, through attorneys with an office in the counties it serves, beside the county bar associations that run referral services of their own

Email

lrs@nysba.org

County bar association referral services, as its list of December 2022 names them →

Sent here by Getting Divorced, Custody And Parenting Time, Being Arrested, Debt Collectors, When The House Is Foreclosed, After A Crash, Hurt At Work, Dying Without A Will, A Notary Is Not A Lawyer