VOLS August 2020 News: Good Trouble
Dear colleague,

On July 17, civil rights icon and longtime Member of Congress John Lewis passed away, leaving us heavy hearted yet grateful for the lessons he taught us all. We all should heed his call to cause “good trouble” in service to making our world, our nation and our communities a better place for everyone.
 
Just last week, Congress has let the Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program expire, leaving millions of unemployed workers without the safety net they need to pay their rent and feed their families.
 
The White House issued a memo that closed the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to new applicants and limited renewals to only one year at a time, openly defying last month’s decision issued by the Supreme Court of the United States. And with 4 out of 10 American households not yet counted, the Census Bureau is expediting and cutting off the process by September 30. Click here to fill out your 2020 census.
 
The New York State Office of Court Administration is pushing the reopening of the Housing Court and the resumption of eviction proceedings despite their failure to demonstrate that the court houses are safe for litigants and court personnel. When the court reopens, countless small businesses may suffer the final defeat in their long battle to stay afloat during the economic crisis.
 
In July, we saw the number of Americans who passed away from COVID-19 surpass 150,000, with thousands more deaths being added to the total each week. Nursing homes and prisons continue to be hot spots of the spread. New York City parents and students fear that schools could be the scene of the next super-spreader event if and when they reopen for in person classes in the fall. Meanwhile, our healthcare system and our frontline workers steel themselves for what could be a resurgence of the virus in New York City. 
 
While VOLS advises and represents New Yorkers every day -- including unemployed workers, immigrant youth, small businesses, frontline workers, mothers in prison, seniors, children, and veterans -- we recognize that this state of affairs cannot stand. We work in coalition with social service providers and advocates across the city, ready to cause some “good trouble” in the halls of justice for all New Yorkers.
 
“When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; you have to do something.” Rest in power, Mr. Lewis.

Best,
Pete

Peter Kempner
VOLS Legal Director and Director, Elderly Project
Unemployed Workers Project:
Since re-launching in March, the VOLS Unemployed Workers Project (UWP) has provided brief legal advice to over 400 unemployed workers seeking access to vital government support. In the most recent June New York State Department of Labor report, seasonally adjusted unemployment within New York City remains around 20%. We are proud that, in statewide discussions about how to respond to the surge in unemployment, VOLS has been consistently recognized as having one of the most robust pro bono client services models in the New York area. Our staff and volunteers have addressed concerns regarding benefits applications, helped clients to expedite the process, and assisted denied workers at their appeal hearings. With a network of more than 800+ community outreach partners, we have advertised vital information including an FAQ page, Know Your Rights materials, and informational sessions to unions and community groups.  
 
Microenterprise Project
Client Spotlight: Kadiatou Diallo
Forbes recently interviewed VOLS client Kadiatou Diallo in a story about Mayor de Blasio's proposed review of the recently cut NYC Commercial Lease Assistance program, which "was helping small business owners that were specifically low-income, people of color, female, and/or immigrant to operate in the city. Since it was established two years ago it has helped over a thousand small business owners negotiate their leases. Diallo has been running a beauty supply store in a NYCHA complex in Harlem for over a decade. She began to have problems with her landlord a few years ago, when he claimed that she owed him thousands of dollars in unpaid rent. At that time she owned two stores, and he seized one of them. With the help of [VOLS] lawyers... she was able to compile all her receipts to prove that she had paid everything, she says. 'I’m much better for my business, if it wasn’t for [the lawyer] I wouldn’t have this store. The way they took the last one, they would have taken this one.'" VOLS continues to advocate funding for commercial lease legal assistance, especially at the height of the pandemic when support requests have increased tenfold.

Updates from the VOLS Legal Team
VOLS Staff
VOLS clients are at the forefront of those impacted by COVID-19. In addition to the above news from our Unemployed Workers and Microenterprise Projects, read about updates and resources across our legal programs:

  • Elderly Project: With over 23,000 deaths in New York City alone from COVID-19, our staff has sadly been fielding calls everyday from friends and family members looking for resources to help them lay their deceased loved ones to rest. At the end of July, the VOLS Elderly Project published “A Guide for Friends & Family of Recently Deceased New Yorkers.” This updated guide helps survivors navigate benefits eligibility, disposition of remains and estate issues they face in the wake of their loved one’s passing. Click here to download the guide (PDF). Additionally, VOLS applauds the recent passage of NYS Legislative bill S3923A/A5630. If signed into law, it will improve accessibility of Power of Attorney documents for the elderly and disabled. VOLS encourages Governor Cuomo to recognize the need for such reform.

  • Immigration Project: On July 28, the Trump Administration openly defied the United States Supreme Court's June decision on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) when US Citizenship & Immigration Services issued a memo stating that the office will reject first-time applications, deny all advance parole applications, and reduce the 2-year interval to 1-year for DACA renewals. The VOLS community is frankly outraged by the federal government's harmful immigration policies and practices that undermine our nation's commitment to compassion, equality, and the rule of law. We remind the concerned public that all New Yorkers can and should participate in the United States Census (click here to fill out your 2020 Census.) and, if eligible, register and participate in our November elections (click here to learn how to register). To learn more, read an analysis of the USCIS memo from the American Immigration Lawyers Association by clicking here.

  • Veterans Initiative: On July 22, VOLS Legal Director Pete Kempner moderated a panel of veterans law experts for the New York City Bar Association’s Military and Veterans Affairs Committee’s "The Veterans Justice Gap: Examining Different Approaches to Meeting Veterans Legal Needs." In August, we are proud to be teaming up with the New York State Division of Veterans’ Services for their annual Division-wide training program. Our attorneys will be hosting two programs for 125 Veterans Service Officers at both the State and County levels from every region of New York State, with topics including end of life planning and eviction prevention for veterans.

  • COVID-19 Frontline & Healthcare Workers Initiative: Although the COVID-19 outbreak has receded in New York, we are watching many other parts of the country with great concern. If there is a second wave of the pandemic in New York City this fall, as many public health officials are predicting, we want to make sure that our frontline workers have the right documents in place as they face great risk from the virus. Applications for our free life planning services and answers to common questions can be found on our website. On July 27, VOLS was pleased to be featured on Fox 5 NY's Good Day New York and named as the “Hero of the Day” for our work providing wills and other advanced directives to frontline workers during the pandemic.
 
  • Children's Project: The VOLS School and Hospital-based Children's Project continues to serve clients during the pandemic, including at four schools, two hospital sites, and a community-based health advocacy organization. Our partners at Skadden reported: "After our clinic in February, our attorneys continued serving the DREAM School remotely on an as-needed basis. We have been able to assist just as many -- if not more -- clients this way as we did previously through the in-person clinic model. We frequently coordinate with the school's Community Social Worker and Family Engagement Manager to receive referrals for parents to arrange a brief consultation over the phone. When appropriate, our lawyers consult with experts at VOLS for more advice on issues involving housing and immigration."
 
  • Incarcerated Mother’s Law Project (IMLP): Over four months have passed since parents in New York State prisons could see or hug their children. Recently, the NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision announced its plans to restore in-person visits in state prisons beginning in August. Helping incarcerated mothers to maintain family ties and protect their parental rights while in jail or prison has been the centerpiece of our work through IMLP. The significance of re-opening prison doors so that families separated by incarceration can again spend time re-connecting and healing cannot be overestimated, and it is an important step toward resumption of critical supportive programming. Additionally, another recent positive development is the passage by the NYS Legislature of S724A/A6710, the Proximity Bill. If signed into law, it will require consideration of placement of incarcerated parents in prisons closest to their children. As of this writing, VOLS joins with our partner organizations and calls upon Governor Cuomo to sign the bill.
Resources During the COVID-19 Crisis
VOLS is keeping track of public and private resources so that New Yorkers whose health, social, or economic well-being is affected by the COVID-19 crisis can access legal support. We have published and will continue to update a special resource guide on our website:
New Yorkers in legal need can contact VOLS for support through our free hotlines and legal services during COVID-19:
Join the VOLS COVID-19 Emergency Response