STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Hurricane Sandy victims who are facing legal troubles
as they rebuild in the wake of the storm are getting some free help.
State Sen. Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island) is teaming up with the New York
Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) to bring a temporary legal aid disaster relief
program to the Island.
Lanza has arranged to bring NYLAG's Mobile Legal Help Center, a bus-like
vehicle staffed with lawyers and equipped with private meeting rooms, to the
storm-ravaged borough for three days.
"The volume of issues is just exploding day-by-day," said Lanza, an attorney.
"These are high-quality people, and great attorneys."
NYLAG staffers are well-versed in Federal Emergency Relief Agency (FEMA)
benefits and programs, he said, and will be ready to help Islanders handle
storm-related legal matters.
That can include helping Islanders file for FEMA claims and appealing denied
claims, as well as handling bankruptcies and credit problems and
disaster-related fraud issues.
NYLAG sought the assistance of legal agencies that served victims of
Hurricane Katrina in order to apply lessons learned in the wake of that disaster
to better serve those affected by Sandy, Lanza's office said.
Among other issues, attorneys can help Islanders with insurance claims;
eligibility for housing vouchers; mortgage issues for affected homes;
landlord/tenant disputes, and wrongful evictions.
Lanza became familiar with the group during his days as a prosecutor in
Manhattan, and NYLAG attorneys were on the Island three times earlier this year
at Lanza's request, giving legal advice on a variety of topics.
"I told them that I now wanted to do something Sandy-related," said Lanza. "I
see this as an opportunity to shift gears. They know the landscape, and I know
there is going to be a big demand for these services."
The group receives $600,000 in state funding each year, money that Lanza
helped secure and increase. That money will go to pay for the Sandy program.
Assistance is available at the following times and locations:
Friday, Nov. 30
Lanza's Hurricane Relief Headquarters
4212 Hylan
Blvd., Eltingville
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 5
Lanza's Hurricane Relief Headquarters
4212
Hylan Blvd.
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 14
2271 Hylan Blvd.
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Appointments are necessary. Call 718-984-4073 to make an appointment.
Storm victims can also call NYLAG's hotline at 212-584-3365 or email StormHelp@nylag.org.
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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Hurricane Sandy victims who are facing legal troubles as they rebuild in the wake of the storm are getting some free help.
State Sen. Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island) is teaming up with the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) to bring a temporary legal aid disaster relief program to the Island.
Lanza has arranged to bring NYLAG's Mobile Legal Help Center, a bus-like vehicle staffed with lawyers and equipped with private meeting rooms, to the storm-ravaged borough for three days.
"The volume of issues is just exploding day-by-day," said Lanza, an attorney. "These are high-quality people, and great attorneys."
NYLAG staffers are well-versed in Federal Emergency Relief Agency (FEMA) benefits and programs, he said, and will be ready to help Islanders handle storm-related legal matters.
That can include helping Islanders file for FEMA claims and appealing denied claims, as well as handling bankruptcies and credit problems and disaster-related fraud issues.
NYLAG sought the assistance of legal agencies that served victims of Hurricane Katrina in order to apply lessons learned in the wake of that disaster to better serve those affected by Sandy, Lanza's office said.
Among other issues, attorneys can help Islanders with insurance claims; eligibility for housing vouchers; mortgage issues for affected homes; landlord/tenant disputes, and wrongful evictions.
Lanza became familiar with the group during his days as a prosecutor in Manhattan, and NYLAG attorneys were on the Island three times earlier this year at Lanza's request, giving legal advice on a variety of topics.
"I told them that I now wanted to do something Sandy-related," said Lanza. "I see this as an opportunity to shift gears. They know the landscape, and I know there is going to be a big demand for these services."
The group receives $600,000 in state funding each year, money that Lanza helped secure and increase. That money will go to pay for the Sandy program.
Assistance is available at the following times and locations:
Friday, Nov. 30
Lanza's Hurricane Relief Headquarters
4212 Hylan Blvd., Eltingville
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 5
Lanza's Hurricane Relief Headquarters
4212 Hylan Blvd.
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 14
2271 Hylan Blvd.
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Appointments are necessary. Call 718-984-4073 to make an appointment.
Storm victims can also call NYLAG's hotline at 212-584-3365 or email StormHelp@nylag.org.