Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation Overview of Achievements, 2016-2017 NMIC has provided services in 8,031 distinct cases assisting almost 17,000 individuals in various matters including, but not limited to, housing, immigration, income maintenance, and consumer debt. NMIC attorneys and organizers also worked with 19 tenant groups providing advocacy and legal representation, which improved conditions for dozens of families. In total, NMIC clients realized over $12 million in annualized financial benefits. The 2016-2017 yeah has been a time of growth and change, beginning with the announcement of Rodrigo Sanchez-Camus as our first new Director of Legal Services in over 30 years. Rodrigo, who grew up in Northern Manhattan, joined the agency as a staff housing attorney in 2005 and had most recently served as Acting Co-Director of Legal Services. In addition to his work at NMIC, Rodrigo serves on the board of the New York Legal Services Coalition as chair of the Diversity Committee and is an adjunct professor at the City College of New York. NMIC s legal services expansion through the Legal Advocacy Project (LEAP) and the New York City Human Resources Administration, as well as the Mayor s Office for Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) and The Research Foundation of CUNY has been fully enmeshed in our existing legal services programming over the past year. We are now planning for further expansion of our housing legal services as New York City s Access to Counsel legislation has become law. Our Bronx satellite office celebrated its one-year anniversary. In addition to nearly 500 Bronx tenants served with housing legal services during our inaugural year, we provided services to ensure access to key income maintenance (particularly SNAP access) and health (particularly Medicaid access) benefits. Finally, in response to the November 2016 presidential election and the initial policies of the current presidential administration, we increased community outreach by 130%. We have substantially focused these presentations on immigration rights to date, but have covered a full range of community needs. Bronx New York Kings Queens This Provider At a Glance Population Served: General Low Income Population Area Served: New York City Metropolitan Area Total Funding: $5,460,280 Total IOLA Grant: $625,000 Staffing - Full Time Equivalents Total Staff: 44.76 Lawyers: 16.24 Paralegals: 19.20 Other Staff: 9.32 Types of Services Provided Direct Civil Legal Representation Brief Services Extended Services Hotlines and Other Phone-Based Services Technology and Other Innovations Community Legal Education Pro Se Assistance Collaborations With Other Service Providers Major Cases or Other Advocacy Projects Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation - 1
Outcomes 16,886 Individuals Benefited from 8,031 Closed Direct Civil Legal Cases Dollar Benefits Achieved for Clients* - Total $30,563,025 Other Federal Benefits: $29,172,534 Other Benefits: $1,390,491 Extended Representation Outcomes 11,037 People benefited from extended representation Brief Representation Benefits 5,753 People benefited from legal advice and counsel 96 People benefited from non-litigation advocacy services *Total includes back awards and total monthly benefits, estimated over 6 months (unemployment compensation), 12 months (equitable distribution of assets, affirmative judgments and other benefits), 36 months (other federal benefits), 108 months (child support), 120 months (Social Security, SSI and spousal support). Examples... Outcomes for Clients s. L is a 48 year old, born in the Dominican Republic. She first sought assistance from NMIC in 2013 for her I- M 360 (VAWA self petition) application and housing, as she was living at a shelter with her two children. Ms. L was a victim of domestic abuse at the hands of her husband, a US citizen, who had moved with their children to the US. When Ms. L joined her family, the sexual, physical, and emotional violence began. She was subjected to ill treatment and control through her undocumented status. NMIC s Domestic Violence Project (DVP) simultaneously provided legal services (for Ms. L s VAWA petition, an order of protection, and NYCHA housing support) and social services (for individual and group counseling as well as financial counseling and on site tax services). DVP staff also connected Ms. L with NMIC s Education & Career Services Department for High School Equivalency classes. With her VAWA petition approved, Ms. L continued to work with NMIC for a special waiver to complete her I-485 Adjustment of Status application to gain Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) status. In October 2016, Ms. L received her approved LPR card. This has made a tremendous impact on her life as she was able to obtain obtain a higher paying job within the United States. Ms. D will finally be able to travel back to the Dominican Republic and provide a stable household for her children s. D is a 38 year old single mother of three minor children who came into NMIC in October 2016 seeking legal M assistance with her non-payment proceeding. She was struggling to remain current with her rent due to her recent separation from her husband. A senior paralegal at NMIC advocated on behalf of this family to the Rental Assistance Unit and obtained a One Shot Deal approval for over $5,000. NMIC directly provided an additional month of rent from our available charitable funds for Ms. D. With her arrears paid, Ms. D s nonpayment case has been dismissed and her family will be able to remain in their rent stabilized home of over 10 years. Breakdown of Cases by Legal Problem Area Immigration 20% People Cases Total 16,886 8,031 Housing 7,254 3,363 Immigration 3,613 1,620 Income Maintenance 2,900 1,419 Health 2,750 1,463 Other 369 166 Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation - 2 Housing 42% Other 2% Health 18% Income Maintenance 18%
Other Services Hotlines and Other Telephone Based Legal Services NMIC serves as the Bronx Borough Lead in the LEAP/ HRA Anti-Harassment initiative, a citywide anti-eviction initiative. As Bronx Borough Lead, NMIC participates in the management of a city housing hotline where tenants citywide call for advice and possible representation in housing matters. NMIC manages calls made by Bronx tenants to the hotline on specific days and refers them to legal intake internally or our partner agencies to ensure that callers obtain the necessary services and that all agencies in the partnership receive an appropriate volume of referrals relative to their contract requirements. Technology and Other Innovations NMIC continues to utilize ClientTrack, our custom designed proprietary database. ClientTrack is a fully customizable database that is used across the agency. Since it is an internet based database, staff may access ClientTrack from the office, from court, or from their home allowing supervisors and staff to monitor and track their casework continuously. Towards the end of program year 2016-17, ClientTrack was transitioned to Azure hosting and we are currently testing an upgraded file scanning and storage process that will allow us to begin digitizing files, which will be particularly important for attorney supervision of paralegal work. Legal Services Other Than Direct Legal Representation NMIC continues to maintain a court office located at 111 Centre Street open to all low income Manhattan residents who have been recently evicted or are on the verge of eviction. This year, NMIC also dramatically expanded our community education workshop series, by 130% to serve over 1,400 community members. These workshops covered housing, immigration, income maintenance, and consumer debt issues, but the expansion was particularly focused on immigration needs based on the country s political climate. Finally, NMIC maintains a trained staff that maintains a robust referral network allowing clients to receive well rounded assessments and access to referrals to other services so that a client s issues can be addressed in the most comprehensive manner possible. Collaborations With Other Service Providers LEAP, founding member- A coalition of 14 New York City legal services providers, LEAP members meet regularly to plan both substantive and administrative responses to events in the legal services community, to coordinate services, and to make cross-program referrals. NMIC is part of a LEAP coalition providing services under the Anti-Harassment Legal Services initiative from HRA. Only three citywide contracts were awarded, one to the Legal Aid Society, one to Legal Services of New York and one to the LEAP coalition. We are currently ramping up to collaboratively provided expanded services under the city s recently announced right to counsel in housing court. As part of this work, we opened our first Bronx office and we are partnering with local elected officials who are a substantial referral source for the work we do. Legal Services for the Working Poor coalition, founding member- A collaborative group of five New York City Providers which include NMIC, CAMBA, MFY, Urban Justice Center, and Housing Conservation Coordinators. Together, the LSWP coalition collaborates to increase civil legal services to households living at or below the self-sufficiency standard. These clients have a great deal of difficulty in obtaining civil legal services since most organizations will only serve clients who are at or below 200% of the poverty level. Consumer debt coalition, founding member- Along with with CAMBA, Housing Conservation Coordinators, Goddard Riverside Community Center SRO Law Project, and the Urban Justice Center, NMIC is part of the the IOLA Consumer Coalition. A group formed using IOLA funds to address consumer law issues for residents across New York City. NMIC launched a monthly evening legal clinic this year to provide services to the community who most need these services after work hours. Manhattan Family Justice Center, founding partner- The Family Justice Centers are the central social and legal services provider for the Mayor s Office to Combat Domestic Violence. We currently partner with the Manhattan FJC providing consultation and representation to their client population. New York Immigration Coalition, member- NMIC is an active member of the New York Immigration Coalition and works closely with them on issues ranging from access to services to funding. The NYIC supported NMIC s selection to be an Access Health provider this year, which allowed us to expand our outreach to immigrant communities in our neighborhoods about healthcare services available to them. MFY Legal Services, funding partner- NMIC is a partner on two important borough wide grants with MFY. Both grants are geared towards seniors who are Number of People Benefited by Legal Services Other Than Direct Legal Representation Total: 7,403 People Community Legal Education and Pro Se Assistance: 2,603 People Web Usage: 4,800 People Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation - 3
Other Services, continued 60 and over. On one grant, NMIC accepts referrals directly through the courts. These clients tend to have complex housing matters which require legal intervention. Union Comunal de Washington Heights y Inwood- A grassroots community association consisting of members of neighborhood tenant associations and block associations. La Union has been supported since its formation in 1990 by NMIC s community organizers and each year at its annual assembly the membership decides upon an annual work plan and priorities, which in turn influence NMIC s legal services programming. Teachers College/Connections to Care: Through our partnership with Teachers College, Columbia University, NMIC was selected as subcontractor on a federal Social Innovations Fund grant through the NYC Center for Economic Opportunity. Through this grant, Teachers College provides training to NMIC legal staff on a core set of mental health interventions (mental health screening, mental health first aid, psychoeducation, and motivational interviewing) and also provides graduate students to offer on site counseling at NMIC and access to their Dean Hope Center for Educational and Psychological Services for clients with needs beyond the capacity of NMIC staff or on site graduate students. Backup or Support Services NMIC has a long standing relationship with the Manhattan Family Justice Center (FJC) at the Mayor s Office to Combat Domestic Violence. The Manhattan FJC provides social and legal services to survivors of domestic violence through partnerships with local providers. Two NMIC attorneys attend monthly intake sessions at the FJC providing consultations and representation when possible. Clients referred back to NMIC may take advantage of the various legal and social services available to NMIC clients. Major Cases or Other Advocacy Projects New York Coalition to End Lead Poisoning v. Koch The NYCCELP v. Koch class action sought and continues to seek adequate and timely enforcement of the City s childhood lead poisoning prevention laws. NMIC has played a role in this class action for over 20 years. In spite of diligent efforts, NMIC and its partners have been unable to reach a settlement with the city in this long standing litigation. We are now working with our partners to prepare for a possible trial in the case. This case affects at least a quarter of a million children in this city who live in rental apartments, the vast majority of whom are from low income or working class families. Pro Bono Volunteer Involvement NMIC maintains a robust network of partnerships to bring in volunteers and interns throughout the year. Our Legal Director, Rodrigo Sanchez-Camus, began the Tenants Rights Project (TRP) while a law student at Columbia Law School in 1999. This student group is still in existence and Columbia Law School students volunteer every semester with NMIC s housing unit. This past year, 10 Columbia Law students volunteered with us during the Spring and Fall semesters. This ongoing relationship provides free legal assistance to clients, support to attorneys and practical legal experience to students. NMIC also participates in the NYU Public Interest Law Fair (PILF) every year where students from around the country interview for summer internships with public interest providers from around the world. We have had great success in finding bright legal interns at the PILF event. Finally, NMIC partners with the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (NYLPI) on their Visiting Summer Associate Program which pairs large law firms with public interest providers. Last year, NMIC hosted four summer externs and is already planning to host four again this coming year. NMIC is also a part of the New York City Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). This program pairs Sources of Funding Total $5,460,280 IOLA Grant $625,000 City and County Funding $2,854,260 State Funding $1,412,867 Foundations $300,000 Other $268,153 Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation - 4 City and County Funding 52% State Funding 26% Foundations 6% Other 5% IOLA Grant 11%
Other Services, continued young people from the inner city communities with job placements. Our Coordinating Paralegal, Brendy Iglesias, started at NMIC over 7 years ago as a messenger through the SYEP program. Today she coordinates the work of 13 housing paralegals, manages reporting across our housing contracts and is an integral part of NMIC s legal department. Finally, NMIC hosts volunteer attorneys and law graduates from throughout New York City through a range of other programs. NMIC also continues to participate and benefit from Judge Lippman s Pro Bono Scholars program and will continue working with this program in the future. This year, NMIC was awarded a Poverty Justice Solutions fellowship by the Center for Court Innovation and is currently interviewing law graduates and Pro Bono Scholars for the entry level housing position. Pro Bono Statistics During 2016-2017, the following volunteers provided services in our program: Attorneys: 3 Volunteers 315 Hours Law Students: 18 Volunteers 3,682 Hours Other Volunteers: 17 Volunteers 2,748 Hours Total Cases Completed by Attorneys: 200 Cases Dollar Value of Attorney Services*: $78,750 *estimated at $250 per hour Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation - 5