Housing and Human Services

Lawyers Alliance helps organizations that provide counseling, support, housing, and social services that improve the quality of life for children, youth, families, and senior citizens and special needs populations, including, but not limited to, people with developmental disabilities or mental health issues, survivors of domestic violence, justice involved people, veterans, substance abusers, and homeless people.

Housing and Shelter

Goddard Riverside Community Center

Running an outreach center to process homeless clients requires a location that is central to the neighborhood served. For Goddard Riverside Community Center, a nonprofit organization that provides social, educational, and legal services to homeless people and other populations, finding a suitable location in lower Manhattan proved quite challenging. The proximity to the Financial District and Tribeca meant that rents were high and landlords unwilling to accommodate the foot traffic generated by a homeless outreach center. More than one landlord backed out of a lease deal when they realized the nature of Goddard's clients. A pro bono attorney from Kaye Scholer LLP has represented Goddard in negotiations for a variety of leases and recently worked through the obstacles presented downtown, enabling Goddard to secure the needed space.

"When some landlords hear the term 'homeless,' they shy away from the transaction. Our pro bono attorney made a point of understanding how our homeless outreach team works so that he could negotiate the necessary terms with potential landlords."

Goddard Riverside Community
Center representative