Legal and Financial Help
Legal
New York State Bar Association is providing free legal assistance to NY residents affected by Hurricane Sandy. Call their special legal hotline at 1-800-699-5636 or visit www.NYSBA.org/Sandy for more info.
LawHelp.org/NY has disaster relief information you can find by clicking on the Public Benefits topic and then the Disaster Relief and Information subtopic. Here is a direct link to this webpage on LawHelp.org/NY: Disaster Relief and Information. LawHelp.org/NY has also posted a calendar of free disaster assistance legal clinics throughout the area. Click here for the calendar.
Manhattan Legal Services/Legal Services NYC has published a Disaster Relief Legal Assistance Manual focused on the Sandy recovery needs of low-income New Yorkers. Click on the link to the manual above or call their hotline at 347-592-2411
Lawyers Alliance for New York is providing support to nonprofits in New York that have questions about assisting relief efforts, emerging legal issues related to the disaster, or victims of Hurricane Sandy. Their number is 212-219-1800. A collection of resources for nonprofits dealing with the impact of the storm and operating a disaster relief program are available here.
Probono.net provides resources for pro bono and legal services attorneys and others working to assist low income or disadvantaged clients. Click here for information on Superstorm Sandy legal relief efforts.
Pro Bono Partnership is providing legal advice for non-profits in NYS who have post-Sandy related issues. Email them at: information@probonopartner.org, call at 973.240.6955, or read more here.
Price Gouging
NY Attorney General Price Gouging Complaint line: If you have noticed that the price of goods and services have gone up since the hurricane passed New York, don’t stay silent! The NY Attorney General has issued a warning regarding the inflation of price of goods and service (read the complete warning here). Please report any price gouging in your community by calling the toll-free complaint line at 1-800-771-7755 or click here to complete the online complaint form.
IRS/Tax Relief Information
In the aftermath of Sandy, the Internal Revenue Service announced additional tax relief to affected individuals and businesses:
- Return Filing and Tax Payment Deadline Extended
- Qualified Disaster Relief Payments Will Not Be Treated As Taxable Income to Recipients
- IRS Expedites Charity Applications and Urges Use of Existing Charities
- Treasury and IRS Announce Special Relief to Encourage Leave Donation Programs for Victims of Hurricane Sandy
HUD/Foreclosure Information
For a Presidentially declared disaster, FHA activates a mortgagee letter making a variety of insured loan programs available for disaster victims and putting into play use of special loan servicing and underwriting requirements. Find out more.
To see if you qualify for Disaster Recovery Grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development click here.
The contact information for resource groups in this publication is provided as a public service, but does not indicate endorsement by the Better Business Bureau, nor does it indicate that any particular nonprofit organization has met the BBB Wise Giving Standards for Charity Accountability unless otherwise specified. Charity reports for the New York City, Long Island and Mid-Hudson Region may be viewed online at www.newyork.bbb.org or www.ny.give.org. BBB Wise Giving Alliance reports on nationally soliciting charities may be viewed at www.bbb.org/charity or www.give.org.
Likewise, information in this publication is not intended as legal advice or financial advice. Please consult a reputable attorney, credentialed financial adviser, or qualified counselor for professional help with such matters.