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HSU: Can you share a bit about your background and how you became involved in working at NMIC?

EF: I began living in NYC as soon as I turned 18 and began attending CUNY. I faced a lot of dishonest and even illegal behavior from multiple landlords during my time as an NYC resident before law school. After earning my J.D., I wanted to return to NYC and put my education to good use for some of my most vulnerable neighbors. Working at NMIC was the natural outcome of my desire to work for a non-profit legal services provider coupled with my passion for housing justice.

What drew you to work in the Eviction Prevention environment, and how has your experience been so far?

I wanted to get involved in Eviction Prevention because I know firsthand how badly an eviction can derail a person’s life. My experience so far has been positive overall. The work can be very demanding and fast-paced, but I find it to be extremely rewarding.

Have you faced any particular challenges while working here, and how have you overcome them?

One of the biggest challenges that I face on a regular basis is administrative delay. While there are a number of systems in place to help prevent evictions in NYC, in my experience, the demand far outpaces the capabilities of those systems. Trying to help my clients secure aid from an overburdened bureaucracy is a constant headache. The only thing I am able to do is be persistent and follow up constantly with the government agencies tasked with providing aid. In some cases, I have had to file motions to join the Department of Social Services as a party to proceedings in order to get applications processed before an eviction takes place.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Outside of scheduled court appearances, I have full autonomy as to what work I do at what time. I usually start my day by checking my emails and reviewing my calendar for upcoming deadlines. My job requires me to speak with my clients often and it is rare for me to go a day without making multiple phone calls. I also spend a lot of time doing investigations, performing legal research, and writing documents for the court.

Are there specific tasks or roles within your position that you feel particularly passionate about or find most rewarding?

Depending on the client, my job can sometimes require advocacy to help a client secure a rent subsidy called CityFHEPS. It is not easy to get CityFHEPS, and I often spend more than six months advocating for clients before they are approved. Helping a client get approved for CityFHEPS is one of the most rewarding parts of my job as it is a complete game-changer for them and guarantees that they will have stable housing going forward.

How do you build rapport and trust with your clients, especially in those first few interactions?

I always do my best to meet my clients where they are at. My clients come from a wide range of backgrounds but they are all people who want to be treated with respect at the end of the day. I approach each new client from a place of understanding, respect, and compassion that seems to come across clearly to most of them from the start. Listening patiently and with a genuine desire to help is usually enough to build rapport and trust with the tenants that I represent.

What kind of positive feedback or reactions have you received about your role?

I receive a lot of positive feedback from my supervisors and clients alike. I do my best to be diligent in all things when it comes to my work, and this dedication and attention to detail usually pays off. Supervisors compliment me for the quality of my work, as well as for my creative solutions and efforts to support my team members whenever possible. I have prevented dozens of evictions during my time with NMIC and clients are always very grateful. Calling a tenant to tell them they are no longer at risk of eviction is one of my favorite parts of the job!

What are your future goals or aspirations, both professionally and personally?

I hope to run for an elected office in the future so that I can help create legislation that strengthens housing rights specifically and human rights more generally. In the meantime, I am committed to continuing my work as an eviction defense attorney with NMIC. I hope to become more involved in NMIC’s legislative advocacy efforts while I continue defending tenants from evictions.

What is the most important thing to consider in your position?

I think there are two things that are tied for most important to consider. One is what my clients want, while the other is what is possible. Often, my clients have goals that are realistic so long as we both put in enough work. However, sometimes what a client wants is not a real option. In those cases, I need to come up with viable alternatives while making sure my client understands why their first choice isn’t possible as well as what options are actually available to them.