Senator Skoufis Hosted Forum on New Rent Laws with panel of legal experts

**PRESS RELEASE**

Senator Skoufis Hosted Forum on New Rent Laws with panel of legal experts

On Wednesday October 30th, Senator James Skoufis (D-Hudson Valley) hosted an informational panel to discuss all aspects of new housing and tenant protection laws passed by the state Legislature this year. Approximately 100 residents from across Orange County, renters and landlords alike, were in attendance.  

Senator Skoufis was joined by housing issues specialists from Legal Services of the Hudson Valley who discussed the changes in state law, including new protections for renters. Senator Skoufis was also joined by a specialist from the Public Utility Law Project (PULP) to inform consumers of their rights as utility customers. 

“Bringing this forum to my district is an important step in ensuring our constituents are aware of and fully equipped with information about their rights as renters,” said Senator Skoufis. “I was glad to provide a productive discussion for landlords and tenants alike so that all parties are able to better understand the new laws.  I extend my gratitude to all the partners involved and hope we can continue to work together to empower New Yorkers and make sure everyone is informed about the current laws.” 

"I want to thank Senator Skoufis for hosting this important event for our community” said Yvonne Maldonado, a New Windsor resident and forum attendee, “As someone who has been personally dealing with a troublesome property management company, I appreciate all the Senator's efforts in making people aware of their new rights under the law. This forum and Senator Skoufis continue to ensure that citizens are armed with the knowledge they need to protect against bad actors.”

Jaime Samarel, a Senior Staff Attorney at Legal Services of the Hudson Valley said, "Legal Services of the Hudson Valley was proud to partner with Senator Skoufis and the Public Utilities Law Project to educate renters on the new tenant protection laws and our services. We hope that by providing this information we will prevent unwarranted evictions that destabilize families and our communities."

"The Public Utility Law Project thanks Senator Skoufis for organizing the ‘Know Your Rights Forum’ and including our group in such an important service. New York State has strong utility consumer protections for tenants, and PULP is happy to inform the Senator's community of their rights," said Laurie Wheelock, PULP Litigation and Policy Council. "Winter is coming, and we are proud to partner with Senator Skoufis in making sure every tenant has a warm and safe home full of holiday cheer and lights." 

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