Homeowner and Consumer Debt Advocacy Project

Overview

The Homeowner and Consumer Debt Advocacy Project (HCDP) brings together two City Bar Justice Center programs long dedicated to supporting New Yorkers in financial distress: the Homeowner Stability Project (HSP) and the Consumer Bankruptcy Project (CBP). Both programs shared a common mission: to help individuals protect their homes, stabilize their finances, and access free legal assistance when they couldn’t afford an attorney. By combining these services into one unified project, we are able to provide more holistic support to New Yorkers facing housing insecurity, debt challenges, or both. This merger strengthens our ability to expand our services, connect clients with trained volunteers, and ensure that homeowners and consumers receive the comprehensive help they need to move forward with confidence.

HCDP provides an array of high-quality, free legal services for New Yorkers of limited means seeking a fresh start towards more stable homeownership and greater economic security. Our homeowner stability work helps New Yorkers stay in their homes whenever possible or preserve equity if they must transition to new housing, and prioritizes keeping New York’s distinctive neighborhoods accessible to homeownership by those of modest means. Our consumer debt advocacy work utilizes a variety of legal tools to facilitate financial recovery for those burdened by consumer or education debt.

Support for Homeowners

Our mission is to preserve affordable homeownership in New York City and the accumulation and transfer of intergenerational family wealth, especially for vulnerable populations such as senior citizens, people identifying as LGBTQ+, and communities of color who have been particularly susceptible to the impact of COVID-19, a persistent racial wealth gap, and predatory schemes to strip ownership of family homes from their rightful owners.

We provide free legal assistance to homeowners and their families at risk of losing their 1-4 family homes, co-ops, or condos due to falling behind on their mortgage, condo/co-op common charges, and/or property tax or utility payments. For homeowners facing foreclosure and other threats to stable homeownership – including tangled title, estate resolution issues, deed theft, and other predatory scams – our staff provides a wide range of legal and non-advocacy services, including providing advice and counsel, limited scope assistance preparing legal documents or applications for various funding programs and repayment plans, and in some instances, full representation in contested litigation cases. HCDP also expands its reach and ability to assist those in need by partnering with private law firms to connect clients with trained volunteer attorneys. In 2025 alone, HCDP and its partner volunteer firms provided services to homeowners and their families facing some form of risk homeownership loss which benefited a total of 865 people and provided financial benefits of $4,466,284.20.

Help with Consumer Debt and Bankruptcy

For New Yorkers overwhelmed by consumer debt, we provide guidance on the steps toward financial recovery. Our staff and volunteers help clients understand their rights and options and, when appropriate, assist eligible individuals in preparing the forms needed to file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case on their own.

The project also supports borrowers struggling with federal or private student loans. We offer community education on repayment and relief options, as well as one-on-one counseling to help clients navigate loan issues and avoid default.

In addition, we oversee the Bankruptcy Pro Bono Panel, which pairs clients referred by federal bankruptcy judges with volunteer attorneys when legal representation is needed for specific issues related to a bankruptcy case, including matters such as student loan discharge and motions for stay relief.

Our Team

The project is directed by Edward Mostoller. Staff attorneys, Simone Haines, Emily Tran, and Chelsea Frankel work directly with clients and guide our volunteer attorneys. Project Coordinators Khadeja Usmani and Mireya Ruiz Trujeque help clients get connected to services, stay informed, and receive support every step of the way.

For assistance with homeowner matters, please call our intake line at 212-382-6766 or email HSP@nycbar.org
For assistance with bankruptcy matters, please call our intake line at 212-382-6707 or email bankruptcy@nycbar.org
For assistance with student loans, please call our intake line at 212-382-4782 or email StudentLoans@nycbar.org
You can also fill out our student loan assistance intake form here.

Not sure if this is the right project? Contact our free Legal Hotline at 212-626-7383.