Immigrant Advocacy Group Offers Legal Counsel On Tenants' Rights

SAGAPONACK, NY — Organización Latino-Americana of Eastern Long Island has taken great strides recently to help tenants become aware of their rights.

To that end, East Hampton resident and tenants' rights attorney Jack Lester has joined OLA and will pro bono legal guidance, following passage of a new New York State law strengthening those rights.

“OLA is fortunate to have been offered the expertise and guidance of attorney Jack Lester to help augment the legal support East End Latino community members need when navigating a harsh and unforgiving rental terrain,” OLA’s Executive Director Minerva Perez said.

Lester will be working pro bono and hand in hand with OLA’s own general counsel to assess local needs and help to ensure that the new state law is understood by all, Perez added.

OLA’s “Tenants, Know Your Rights” workshop held on Sunday at OLA’s East Hampton office — the event was also live-streamed on Facebook — included topics such as the right to be protected when asserting rights to habitable living conditions; rights in every landlord/tenant relationship; and protections against unreasonable rent increases.

Lester is a litigation and advocacy lawyer with more than 40 years of experience representing tenants, neighborhood associations, community groups, small businesses, co-ops and condo boards in preserving and protecting peoples’ legal rights in court and before administrative agencies.

Lester, OLA said, "has an established record in the courts, legislature and public agencies of the State of New York in tenant-landlord law, zoning, landmark laws, condemnation proceedings, property damage cases, real estate law, and others. Community law is a field of law pioneered and established by Lester that combines practice areas all relating to peoples’ rights, public advocacy, and individuals’ struggles to maintain and enhance their legally protected quality of life in their homes and neighborhoods."