Empowering
Tenants
CoRe provides direct legal representation, organizing, and advocacy to empower and educate tenants across Brooklyn and Queens. CoRe fights side by side with our clients, and helps tenants save their homes by fighting back both in the courtroom and through alternative means of advocacy. By employing organizing as a key component of our legal services, our work builds power with communities, not for them.
Litigating in Court
Communities Resist specializes in affirmative litigation in Housing Court, Supreme Court, and Federal Court. We help bring cases on behalf of organized tenant associations to hold unscrupulous landlords accountable for their illegal actions. Our affirmative litigation can include cases addressing tenant harassment, discrimination, rent overcharges, necessary repairs or other legal action on behalf of tenants. To date, Communities Resist brought over 1,400 cases on behalf of tenants in housing court, state supreme court, federal court, and administrative agencies.
Amplifying Tenant Voices
Communities Resist recognizes that litigation is only one tool to empower tenants. CoRe also advocates by bringing these issues to light through public rallies and press conferences, providing an opportunity for tenants to shine a light on their unimaginable living conditions.
Holding Power Accountable to the People
Communities Resist participates in a variety of community coalitions to support community initiatives and keep those holding the power accountable. From government actors to landlords, the community coalitions build power in ways that strengthen the bonds of the CBOs and individual community members to level the playing field for marginalized communities.
Advocating with the Government
Communities Resist also advocates on behalf of clients before City, State and Federal agencies, and elected officials. Whether filing a complaint for discrimination or a rent reduction, or adovating for change with elected officials, Communities Resist employs multiple tools to support tenants in their fight for equality. Our work can also take the form of community-led fights against rezonings and larger decisions by city government impacting our neighborhoods.
Our model of legal representation requires close collaboration with the communities we serve.
By employing organizing as a key component of our legal services, something that makes us unique citywide, our work is to build power with communities of color, not for them. This means we collaborate closely in our collective work. Our clients and communities define our organization and the fights that we undertake; we do not choose the battles for those we serve. CoRe fights side by side with our clients, harnessing their organizing power with legal strategies so that it becomes a community-focused — not a fight in the courtroom or where the courtroom is the center of power. The center of power is, and always will be, the streets and the homes where our clients live.