Statement from Executive Director Nick E. Smith on Governor Hochul’s Executive Budget Proposal

Date

01.21.25

Category

Press Release

Statement from Executive Director Nick E. Smith on Governor Hochul’s Executive Budget Proposal

 

Communities Resist Executive Director Nick E. Smith released the following statement in response to Governor Hochul’s proposed executive budget:

“In her $252 billion proposed executive budget, Governor Hochul included plans to address housing for the upcoming fiscal year. As the Governor and state legislature begin the process of budget discussions leading up to the April 1st deadline, I again reiterate that provisions to increase affordable housing and expand tenant protections must be included. Additionally, with $1 billion proposed for City of Yes, it is my sincere hope that the final state budget also includes increased funding for legal services organizations, just like in the City for All plan. With great uncertainty looming with the new federal administration, it is imperative that all legal services organizations have the necessary resources to help our most vulnerable tenants and communities.”

About Communities Resist

Communities Resist (“CoRe”) is a community-based housing legal services and advocacy organization established and led by people of color to empower, educate and represent low-income communities and community coalitions preventing gentrification and displacement. Founded in 2019, CoRe has racked up several impressive wins, stopping nearly 1,000 evictions, filing 4,000+ affirmative litigation cases, engaging more than 8,000 New Yorkers at housing rights workshops and recovering settlements of all sizes for tenants across New York City.“After years of feeling powerless against our abusive landlord who wasn’t providing heat and hot water nor repairing my apartments, my neighbors and I had no other choice than to reach out for help. With the help of our attorney from Communities Resist we were able to organize a Tenant Association and fight back against the abusive landlord. We finally won,” said Ramona Blash of 316 Suydam St. Tenant Association.

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