Build Up Justice NYC

Drop-In Tax Table (multiple dates)
2024-05-09 17:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Online via Zoom
Get your tax questions answered by experts! Our “Drop-In Tax Table” in partnership with Grow Brooklyn is held every other Thursday as a virtual office-hours. Sign up for a 15-minute virtual appointment between 5 pm to 7 pm to discuss things like filing requirements, credit eligibility, self-employment obligations, and more. Click this link to register for the meeting.
Register Here
Upcoming dates:
March 28
April 11
April 25
May 9

Borrowing Basics
2024-05-08 18:00 - 19:00
In partnership with Citizens, this webinar will help you examine options for borrowing money and what they cost.
Register Here

Housing Vouchers: What You Need to Know!
2024-04-03 18:00 - 19:00
This virtual event will cover which vouchers are available, who qualifies, how to apply, and the recent changes to city law. Presenters will be from Brooklyn A and the Homebase staff at Catholic Charities and will be available to answer your questions. The program is sponsored by Council Members Chi Ossé and Farah Louis. Click this link to register for the webinar.
Register Here

Know Your Rights: Organizing Your Building and Getting Results
2024-03-13 18:00 - 19:00 | Online via Zoom
Learn to build power in your own building! Hear from a Brooklyn A housing attorney and tenant organizer about your rights as a renter, how to confront your landlord as a building, and what legal options are available to you. Click this link to register for the meeting.
Register Here
Upcoming dates:

Community Convo with Council Member Nantasha Williams: Homeowner's Expo & Resources
2023-09-19 18:00 - 20:00
Save the date! On September 19th, Council Member Nantasha Williams will be hosting “Community Convo: Homeowner’s Expo & Resources.” The program will cover tips for avoiding foreclosure, how to avoid deed theft, payment plans, and other valuable topics for homeowners. Mark your calendars now and join the virtual event with the link and passcode below.
Link to join meeting: bit.ly/3rD8Gmk
Meeting ID: 835 2011 7511
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Tax Tips - July 2023
2023-07-20 18:00 - 19:00
Don’t let taxes get you down–stay on top of your documents with Brooklyn A! Join us for this week’s “Tax Tips” webinar hosted by Brooklyn A. The virtual event was sponsored by State Senator Roxanne Persaud and Council Member Marjorie Velázquez. Learn about the taxpayer bill of rights, how collections work, and generally useful tax info.
Click to watch

Is My Rent Going Up?
2023-06-27 18:00 - 19:00
Following the New York City Rent Guidelines Board vote in June, Brooklyn A hosted “Is My Rent Going Up?” to dig into the details of the vote and its impact on the roughly 1 million rent-stabilized apartments in our city. Unsure what this means to you? Brooklyn A is here to help.
This webinar explains who the Rent Guidelines Board is, how the voting process works, which apartments are impacted by its decisions, and, most importantly, how the vote will impact the cost of your apartment moving forward.
We were thrilled to have as sponsors State Senator Julia Salazar, Assemblymember Brian Cunningham, and Council Member Alexa Avilés.
Click to watch

New Reality for Renters After COVID
2023-04-27 18:30 - 19:30
It’s been a confusing couple of years for renters as housing policies have changed dramatically during COVID. Come learn what the real policies are right now and learn what rumors have been floating around NYC for the last few months. The program was co-hosted by Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation, Catholic Charities Neighborhood Services, Inc., Good Shepherd Services, CAMBA, Inc., United Community Centers, MetroPlusHealth, and University Settlement. We were honored to have as sponsors Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez, Assemblywoman Latrice Walker, Council Member Sandy Nurse, and Council Member Charles Barron.
The full event is free to watch on the Brooklyn A YouTube channel and you can get the slides upon request at info@bka.org.
Click to watch

Tax Tips
2023-03-30 18:00 - 19:00
We are in the heart of tax season and Brooklyn A is here to help! Join our webinar “Tax Tips” on Thursday, March 30 at 6PM to learn about refundable credits, filing statuses, and other helpful filing tips. Brooklyn A experts will walk you through the key details to pay attention to this year and can answer questions you have about your return. Click here to sign up.
Register Here

Foreclosure Abuse Prevention Act: New NY Law to Avoid Foreclosure & Scams
2023-03-21 18:00 - 19:30
Late with your mortgage? Don’t lose your home and don’t get fooled by scams! Join our webinar with NHS Brooklyn tonight at 6PM to learn about the Foreclosure Abuse Prevention Act, what to do if you’re late on your mortgage, and more tips to protect your home. Click here to sign up.
Register Here

The Need to Know: 2022 Tax Season
2023-02-02 18:00 - 19:00
In partnership with Grow Brooklyn, this tax series will cover everything you need to know for your 2022 taxes. The online, three-part community forum will run the first three Thursdays of February (2/2, 2/9, and 2/16) and give you the chance to hear directly from experts and ask questions. Topics covered will include:
– Filing requirements
– Information on various credits/deductions
– Important deadlines
– Worker classifications
– Self employment obligations
– Eligibility for the IRS Low Income Tax Clinic (LITC) & the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)
– Services Provided by the LITC & VITA programs
– Taxpayer Bill of Rights
– Information for targets of abuse clients who are claiming dependents
Register Here

Displacement During COVID
2023-01-25 18:00 - 19:00
One year since the eviction and foreclosure moratoriums lifted, New Yorkers are still reeling from the pandemic and growing housing crisis. Our policy webinar “Displacement During COVID” is your chance to hear from Brooklyn A staffers in each program discuss what our clients are experiencing on the ground, the challenges they faced in 2022, and what we expect to see in the year to come. Potential clients can learn what to expect from housing court, foreclosure cases, and commercial lease negotiations this year, and Brooklyn A partners can hear how the city is handling our various crises.
Register Here

Tax Filing Requirements
2022-12-08 18:00 | Online via Zoom
With tax season coming up soon, now is the perfect time to get prepared. Come learn from Brooklyn A experts the details of filing requirements, checking your filing status, and refundable credits.
Register Here

BKA in Business: Celebrating the Success of the Commercial Lease Assistance Program
2022-11-16 18:00 - 19:00 | Online via Zoom
Join Brooklyn A staff, small business clients, and New York City’s leading small business officials in a celebration of the Commercial Lease Assistance Program (CLA). Hear about the vital legal services the program provides and how CLA has become an invaluable resource to business owners throughout the city.
Register Here

Collections: How to Deal with Tax Bills
2022-11-10 18:00 - 19:00 | Online via Zoom
Learn what to do if you owe money to the IRS or the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance with Brooklyn A tax experts.
Register Here

Protecting Yourself from Identity Fraud
2022-10-27 18:00 - 19:00 | Online via Zoom
Scammers have creative ways of getting your information but being prepared is the best defense. Learn to protect yourself from identity fraud at our latest online workshop.
Register Here

Protecting Your Home from Foreclosure
2022-10-18 18:00 - 19:00 | Online via Zoom
Learn to protect your most valuable asset. Join us to learn about foreclosure prevention in a Know-Your-Rights virtual event with Brooklyn A attorneys, sponsored by Council Member Nantasha Williams (D-27). We will discuss navigating the foreclosure process, what to do if you receive a notice, and how to avoid scammers.
Register Here

Know Your Rights: Getting Repairs Made
2022-09-28 18:00 - 19:00 | Online via Zoom
You deserve an apartment where everything works! Join our workshop “Getting Repairs Made” on Wednesday, September 28th at 6 PM to learn what fixes your landlord is responsible for, how to file paperwork in housing court, and when it’s time to call a lawyer. This is the third webinar in our “Fight for Your Rights: Tenant Education Series” joined by Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez (D-34) and the St. Nicks Alliance. You can watch the event in both English and Spanish.
Register Here

Spread Justice: A Virtual Celebration of our Clients and Advocates
2022-05-11 18:00 - 21:00
On this special evening we will celebrate the efforts by our clients and Brooklyn A advocates to maintain stability and combat displacement in the face of multiple challenges, including the recent ending of the pandemic moratoriums on residential and commercial evictions and foreclosures. Spread Justice will spotlight our client honorees in a panel discussion moderated by Errol Louis (NY1), and share opportunities about how to join Brooklyn A in our efforts against displacement in New York communities.

Protecting Your Home After Death – Part II
2022-03-15 14:00 - 15:00
You built it, shouldn’t you protect it? You should get the final say on how your home and your assets are treated in the event of your death.
Join us for this two-part webinar where we will discuss transferring your title, getting the mortgage lender to acknowledge your descendant as successor-in-interest, dealing with arrears in property taxes, water and sewer charges, getting off the tax lien list, reversing equity mortgages and more.
Topics include:
– Transferring title (how to start surrogate court proceeding, heirship affidavits, surviving spouse)
– Getting the mortgage lender to acknowledge descendant as successor-in interest (CFPB regs) and where applicable assume the mortgage
– Dealing with arrears in property taxes, water and sewer charges, entering payment plans, getting off the tax lien list
– Reverse equity mortgages, rights of surviving spouse, options for descendants
Register Here

What Happens Now: Your Small Business & the Commercial Eviction Moratorium
2022-02-28 17:00 - 18:00 | Online via Zoom
On January 15, 2022, New York’s hold on commercial evictions expired. But, legal support is still available free of charge. Brooklyn A advises small businesses on the eviction process and how to prepare for litigation and court appearances.
Join our attorneys to learn how to protect yourself, and protect and strengthen your small business.
Register Here

Property Tax Benefits for Homeowners
2022-02-24 06:00 - 19:00
As a homeowner, you’ll face property taxes at a state and local level. But you can apply for benefits that can help you save on your property tax bill. You may qualify for relief through property tax exemptions, abatements, and credits. Join us for this webinar featuring the NYC Department of Finance and sponsored by New York State Senator Roxanne Persaud.
Join Zoom Here

Protecting Your Home After Death – Part I
2022-02-22 14:00 - 15:00 | Online via Zoom

What Happens Now: Life After the Eviction Moratorium
2022-01-27 17:00 - 18:00 | Online via Zoom
On January 15, Housing Courts’ hold on evictions expired. Nearly 200,000 pending eviction cases in NYC will begin to move forward. Join us to learn how to protect yourself.
Register Here

Property Tax Benefits for Homeowners
2022-01-25 14:00 - 15:30 | Online via Zoom
Homeowners in New York City and New York State can find relief through property tax exemptions, abatements, and credits. Join us for this webinar hosted by the Protect Our Homes Queens Coalition, featuring the NYC Department of Finance, and with sponsorship support from NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, State Senator James Sanders Jr., State Senator Leroy Comrie, State Assembly Member Alicia Hyndman, State Assembly Member Clyde Vanel, State Assembly Member Khaleel Anderson, Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers, and Council Member Nantasha Williams.
Register Here

How to Apply for Homeowner Relief Now
2022-01-20 06:30 - 19:30 | Online via Zoom
The Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) helps homeowners impacted by COVID-19 catch up on mortgage and utility bills and pay other housing costs.
Join us and New York State Senator Leroy Comrie to learn how to qualify and apply to receive immediate relief.
Register Here

Know Your Rights: Tenants’ Rights During the Pandemic, Updated Edition for 2022
2022-01-06 16:00 - 17:30 | Online via Zoom
Justice Initiatives at Brooklyn Public Library is partnering with community organizations and agencies to produce a series of Know Your Rights workshops. This event in the series will focus on Tenants’ Rights and Evictions in New York City in 2022—updated from our 2020 talk on the same topic.
We’ll address what New Yorkers can do about the end of eviction protections, and speak to the most up-to-date protocols and procedures for court hearings. There will be a Q&A session at the end of the workshop and you will be able to post your questions in the livestream chat.
Partners:
The NYS Court’s Office for Justice Initiatives’ (OJI) mission is to ensure meaningful access to justice in civil, criminal, and family matters for New Yorkers of all backgrounds, incomes, and special needs, by using every resource, including pro bono programs, self-help services, and technological tools, and by securing stable and adequate non-profit and government funding for civil and criminal legal services programs.
Presenters:
Hon. Cheryl Gonzales was appointed to the Housing Court of the Civil Court of the City of New York in June 2005, and is now Supervising Judge of Brooklyn Housing Court. Judge Gonzales is a former chair of the board of Bedford Stuyvesant Community Legal Services, and a former chair of the board of the Metropolitan Black Bar Association. Judge Gonzales serves as the district director for region 2 of the National Association of Women Judges, and as chair of the New York Chapter of the National Association of Women Judges’ Women in Prison Committee. Judge Gonzales is a graduate of Hunter College of the City of New York and CUNY School of Law at Queens College.
Kristie Lam-Ortiz, Esq. is an attorney with Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A (Brooklyn A), which uses legal and advocacy strategies to preserve and protect affordable housing, prevent evictions, combat tenant harassment, and discrimination, and ensure that working families, individuals, older adults, and others live in stable environments and within their financial means.

Life After the Eviction Moratorium
2021-12-15 17:00 - 18:00 | Online via Zoom
The eviction moratorium is going to end, and when it does, we face the prospect of mass evictions throughout NYC. Join Kristie Ortiz-Lam, Esq., Director of Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A’s Preserving Affordable Housing Program, to learn your rights as a tenant and what to expect once the moratorium lift goes into effect.

Get Your Home Removed from the December 17 Tax Lien Sale
2021-11-30 12:30 - 13:30 | Online via Zoom
On December 17, properties on the City’s Tax Lien Sale List will be sold, which can put property owners at risk of losing their homes or being forced to enter into more expensive payment arrangements. Join this workshop hosted by the Queens Protect Our Homes Coalition (NHS of Jamaica, JASA/LSEJ, Brooklyn Legal Services Corp. A and The Legal Aid Society – Queens) to learn about options to cure.

Economic Stimulus Check Updates & Taxpayer’s Rights Virtual Town Hall
2021-11-15 18:00 - 19:00 | Online via Zoom
Our attorneys will present on updates to the Economic Stimulus Checks and on Taxpayer’s Rights.
This month, the federal government sent another round of up to $1,400 stimulus checks. While millions of Americans have received the third round of checks, many still have not received their checks. Our attorneys will present on the current status of the economic stimulus checks and on your rights as a taxpayer. They will also answer general, non-case specific questions.
Register Here!
The event will also be streamed on Brooklyn A’s Facebook Page
