From the Legal Aid Society

Thousands of families are eligible for damages under a recent settlement in a lawsuit brought by the The Legal Aid Society against the City of New York.  Claims are due FEBRUARY 28.

In the McCain lawsuit brought by The Legal Aid Society, the City has agreed to pay out $13.8 million in fines and interest directly to 26,000 homeless families over the next few months.  Eligible homeless families who stayed in the EAU or were sent to illegal overnight placements between June 16, 1995 and July 31, 2005 are entitled to $150 per night.

The average payment will be $529.

Because the compensation scheme is complicated, we urge all clients who believe they might be entitled to fines to get a claim form by going to www.nyccourtfines.com or calling 1-866-314-5809  and RETURN THE CLAIM BY FEBRUARY 28, 2006.  A flyer designed for clients may be downloaded here.  [You can also download the flyer in Spanish]

According to one media report, the City was only able to pay about 9,200 families in November through the public assistance EBT computer and by check.  That means that almost 17,000 families have not been paid, and it is critical that they be advised to file claims immediately.

Please help us spread the word.

Any client or advocate with questions about the fines should call the Homeless Rights Project hotline at 1.800.649.9125 during business hours.  Because of such calls, we have become aware that the City has not yet identified all the families entitled to fines; furthermore, even where families have been identified and notified by letter, technical glitches have prevented payments from going out.