Westchester Insider: Westchester County: 5/9 - 2PM - County Executive George Latimer to Give Westchester Weekly Update.

 

County Executive George Latimer to Give Westchester Weekly Update.

 

Latimer will be joined by Town of Mamaroneck Supervisor Jaine Elkind Eney.

 

Monday, May 9

2 p.m.

Watch on https://www.facebook.com/westchestergov/

 

During his weekly Westchester briefing, Latimer will discuss:

·         Guest: Town of Mamaroneck Supervisor Jaine Elkind Eney

·         COVID update

·         Latimer will announce his introduction of legislation creating the Office of Housing Counsel

 

(White Plains, NY) - According to the 2020 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, New York State has the highest rate of homelessness in the country, with 92,000 New Yorkers currently experiencing homelessness. Moreover, as stated in a 2016 report by Stout Risius Ross, a global advisory firm, a staggering 1.2 million households are behind on rent and landlords are actively trying to evict more than 236,000 tenants statewide. According to the New York City Right to Counsel Coalition, 220,000 evictions are pending in New York courts, including town, village, and justice courts.

 

Across the state an overwhelming majority of landlords are represented during eviction proceedings, whereas most tenants are not. Currently, low-income tenants in Westchester County do not have access to legal counsel in eviction proceedings. Right to counsel, where legal counsel is provided at no cost to low income tenants, has proven to be very successful at preventing evictions and protecting tenants’ rights, especially now, given the recently enacted complex tenant protection laws.