Justice Center News

Seniors Beware: COVID-19 Scammers are Targeting You!

by Vivienne Duncan, Esq.August 21, 2020

While New York City was reeling from the deadly impact of the COVID-19 crisis, scammers viewed the crisis as another opportunity to target seniors, finding new ways – or adapting old ones – to trick them into parting with their money or revealing valuable personal information. Many times, they find their victims in the same timeworn way –through unsolicited telephone calls. Here are some of the current scams that you should look out for:

Tracking COVID-19 in NYC through Calls to the Legal Hotline

by Libby Vazquez, Esq.August 19, 2020

In March 2020 (yes, that was five months ago!), COVID-19 swept through our city. The pandemic devasted and disproportionately impacted low-income communities served by the City Bar Justice Center (CBJC). CBJC’s Legal Hotline which normally assists over 1,000 callers a month, fell eerily quiet. The residents of our city were ordered to stay home; many … Continue reading Tracking COVID-19 in NYC through Calls to the Legal Hotline →

Undocumented and Underserved: Supporting Immigrants in NYC Amid the Pandemic

by Cecilia Lopez Santiesteban, Esq. - Fragomen FellowAugust 12, 2020

Earlier this year, before the pandemic, the City Bar Justice Center’s (CBJC) Immigrant Justice Project hosted a legal assistance clinic where participants were screened for immigration relief options. During the legal clinic, *Laura, a woman from El Salvador, was terrified to speak to volunteer attorneys about her immigration case – she feared disclosing personal information would place her at risk for deportation.

Minority-Owned Small Businesses Face Increased Inequities during COVID-19

by The Neighborhood Entrepreneur Law ProjectJuly 22, 2020

Businesses across the United States have been financially impacted by COVID-19. Many businesses have had to close their doors or have seen decreased revenue since March, when COVID-19 cases started to increase throughout the U.S. Although all types of businesses and people have been affected, the worst impacted have been minority-owned small businesses.

Price Gouging: What It Is and What You Can Do About It

by Kyara MartinezJune 25, 2020

In response to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), New York City’s Department of Consumer Affairs (“DCA”) has expanded protections related to the illegal practice of price gouging. An emergency Rule enacted on March 15, 2020 makes price gouging illegal for any personal or household goods or services that are necessary to prevent or limit the spread of COVID-19 (the “NYC Rule”).

Homeless Need Internet Access to Find a Home: A Client Story – Part 2

by CBJC StaffJune 24, 2020

In Part 1 of “Homeless Need Internet Access to Find a Home”, the City Bar Justice Center published a white paper from meetings with shelter residents in 2019 showing homeless family shelters didn’t have reliable Wi-Fi and access to technology. We surveyed 84 families and shared their struggles to find work, do homework, and locate permanent housing. The white paper also looked at other cities that were able to provide Wi-Fi to their homeless population.