KINGSTON- Using $500,000 of its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, the City of Kingston has launched its Right to Counsel program to provide free legal counsel to income-eligible Kingston residents regarding housing issues. Legal Services of the Hudson Valley has been contracted to assist with the program’s implementation.
The Right to Counsel Program will provide residents with the information, resources, services, advice, and representation they need to exercise their housing rights. Covered matters can include include potential eviction proceedings, habitability claims for repairs, claims under the Emergency Tenant Protection Act, and discrimination proceedings.
“We are proud to launch this program, which is designed to help our residents facing eviction in court or other pressing housing issues. Legal counsel can be prohibitively expensive, which makes this is a social justice issue – no one should lose their housing because they can’t afford an attorney;” said Kingston Mayor Steven Noble.
Kingston residents qualify for the Right to Counsel program if they meet Legal Services of the Hudson Valley’s eligibility requirements. Services are offered in English and Spanish.
More information about utilizing these legal services is available at www.EngageKingston.com/right-to-counsel.
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