Justice Center News
The Justice Center News blog features our advocacy on issues affecting low-income New Yorkers today and the latest CBJC happenings. For press releases, click here. For publications, click here.
Attention New York Homeowners: Foreclosure Moratorium for FHFA and FHA Loans Are Extended Until the End of 2020
by Sofia Colosimo and K. Scott Kohanowski, Esq.September 8, 2020
On August 27th, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced an extension of the foreclosure moratoria in place for homeowners with mortgages backed by Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) until at least December 31st, 2020.
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Protecting Struggling, Underserved New York City Veterans
by CBJC StaffSeptember 1, 2020
The Veterans Assistance Project (VAP) recently testified before the New York State Legislature on behalf of the City Bar Justice Center (CBJC). Logan Campbell, VAP’s Project Coordinator, spoke at the joint public hearing which focused on protecting the state’s estimated 800,000 disadvantaged veterans as they struggle amid the COVID-19 crisis. VAP advised against potential cuts in funding for veteran legal services and warned that this could create additional barriers for poor veterans living in New York City.
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How a NYC Frontline Healthcare Worker Protected Her Family during the COVID-19 Outbreak
by Nancy LarcherAugust 26, 2020
As New York City became the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, the City Bar Justice Center’s (CBJC) Planning and Estates Law Project (PELP) stepped up to support our city’s dedicated frontline healthcare workers. In March 2020, with the support of outstanding pro bono collaborators, PELP launched an initiative to expand existing services to provide free remote legal assistance to our City’s frontline healthcare workers.
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Seniors Beware: COVID-19 Scammers are Targeting You!
by Vivienne Duncan, Esq.August 21, 2020
While New York City was reeling from the deadly impact of the COVID-19 crisis, scammers viewed the crisis as another opportunity to target seniors, finding new ways – or adapting old ones – to trick them into parting with their money or revealing valuable personal information. Many times, they find their victims in the same timeworn way –through unsolicited telephone calls. Here are some of the current scams that you should look out for:
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Tracking COVID-19 in NYC through Calls to the Legal Hotline
by Libby Vazquez, Esq.August 19, 2020
In March 2020 (yes, that was five months ago!), COVID-19 swept through our city. The pandemic devasted and disproportionately impacted low-income communities served by the City Bar Justice Center (CBJC). CBJC’s Legal Hotline which normally assists over 1,000 callers a month, fell eerily quiet. The residents of our city were ordered to stay home; many … Continue reading Tracking COVID-19 in NYC through Calls to the Legal Hotline
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Undocumented and Underserved: Supporting Immigrants in NYC Amid the Pandemic
by Cecilia Lopez Santiesteban, Esq. - Fragomen FellowAugust 12, 2020
Earlier this year, before the pandemic, the City Bar Justice Center’s (CBJC) Immigrant Justice Project hosted a legal assistance clinic where participants were screened for immigration relief options. During the legal clinic, *Laura, a woman from El Salvador, was terrified to speak to volunteer attorneys about her immigration case – she feared disclosing personal information would place her at risk for deportation.
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