Pro Bono Report: Poverty & Homelessness
Coalition for the Homeless. Kramer Levin assisted the Coalition for the Homeless, a leading organization combating homelessness in New York, with the acquisition and financing of its office building at 129 Fulton Street in 2002 and have continued to advise in real estate matters since then. In 2005, Stephen Senie and James Power assisted the Coalition with the preparation and negotiation of construction contracts for the renovation of its offices. Michael Korotkin and Fran Buchinsky represented the Coalition in refinancing, with an investment bank, the building’s construction loans. Gary Tarnoff represented the Coalition in a potential sale of development rights from 128 Fulton Street. Barry Berke, Lauren Freeman-Bosworth, Shoshana Menu, and Carmel Gabbay helped the Coalition with a variety of additional matters, including the adoption of policies and procedures related to its programs.
Common Ground Community. Common Ground Community is a nonprofit organization that develops and manages buildings for use as low-income housing for previously homeless and low-income adults and provides an array of social and psychiatric services for the residents. As part of its job placement and training programs, Common Ground operates a number of businesses designed to prepare the formerly homeless for private sector employment. Jonathan Fried and Owen Glist provided legal advice on landlord-tenant issues in connection with the renovation of the Andrews Hotel for the First Step Housing Program, which provides shelter for homeless men. Blake Rigel advised on tax matters.
Kids in Distressed Situations. Kids in Distressed Situations is a nonprofit organization founded over 10 years ago originally to assist victims of famine in Africa. Its mission has expanded to include assistance to children in poverty, in shelters, or struck by disaster. K.I.D.S. served over 3 million children in 2005, 85% of them in the United States and 15% abroad. Tom Balliett and Adam Busch provided legal advice to K.I.D.S. on best practices in not-for-profit governance and also to the K.I.D.S. audit committee. Kevin Moss, Mary Aversano, and Heather Chase assisted the organization in a trademark application.
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