The community nonprofit BronxWorks celebrated the expansion of its legal services with a new office dedicated to the Tenant Defense Program, which recently became a “right to counsel” provider, offering free legal assistance per a 2017 law, to Bronx tenants facing eviction proceedings and a host of other housing court proceedings.
BronxWorks leaders say that the new space represents more than just a legal office— it’s a space that welcomes Bronxites who are often facing a gut-wrenching, anxiety-inducing, court battle to stay in their homes.
Jerome Frierson, Vice President of Legal Services for BronxWorks, told the Bronx Times that the nonprofit put great thought and energy into developing an office that would be both conveniently located and comfortable for Tenant Defense Program clients.
“ We wanted a space that would would be a comfortable and professional environment for our staff and for our clients to reduce stress,” Frierson said. “ We would hope that would make our clients feel that they’re in a [space] respecting the dignity of our clients and the really difficult, traumatic circumstances that they’re facing and the difficult conversations that that happen in those spaces.”
The new office, located at 818 River Ave., houses a legal team that has more than doubled since last fall when BronxWorks started accepting clients to the Tenant Defense Program. Since October of 2024, the team of 13 attorneys and 7 legal professionals has served around 1,000 clients and helped to prevent over 600 evictions in the borough, with cases still pending in housing court, according to BronxWorks.
There’s no shortage of clients in the borough, the Bronx had the highest rate of eviction filings and executed evictions in 2024, according to the Association of Neighborhood and Development’s Housing Risk Assessment. Bronx community district 5, which represents Fordham and University Heights saw 137.4 eviction filings per 1,000 households in 2024— more than any other community district in the city.
But this isn’t BronxWorks first foray into tenant representation. Gianna Dell’Olio, Director of Advancement and Communications said that community nonprofit, which has been around since 1972 and offers a wide array of services, has always supported Bronx tenants who need help in housing court. She said the designation as a “right to counsel” provider in July of 2024, enabled the organization to provide legal services to more people in need.
“ I couldn’t even imagine going to housing court without that kind of assistance,” Dell’Olio said. “But we always have and we will continue to provide case management services.”
Leaders like Dell’Olio said the organization also accounts for the multifaceted barriers to stable housing and takes a holistic approach to representing tenants in the Tenant Defense Program.
“ Throughout the organization, whatever service you come to us for, we’ll do that intake and assessment and see— what else do you need?” Dell’Olio said. “Are you food insecure? Do you need assistance for your children? Do they need an afterschool program? We’re very mission driven.”
Frierson said the approach is baked into BronxWorks, not just as part of its Tenant Defense Program, but as a part of the entire organization.
“ The philosophy is just thinking more deeply and holistically about resolving the issue that brought them into court,” Frierson said. “There are surrounding circumstances beyond just what we’re seeing in housing court— systemic issues that resulted in them facing eviction.”
