Pro Bono Report: Poverty & Homelessness
Coalition for the Homeless. After assisting the Coalition for the Homeless, a leading organization combating homelessness in New York, with the acquisition and financing of its offices at 129 Fulton Street in 2002, Michael Korotkin and Len Ritz continued to assist the organization with the renovation of the building, negotiating agreements for construction financing and construction management services. In 2004 Marlene Stulbach represented the Coalition in connection with the leasing of space in the building to Hamilton-Madison House, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides services complementary to those of the Coalition. The lease increased the Coalition’s ability to aid the homeless in our city. Fran Buchinsky represented the Coalition in refinancing, with an investment bank, the building’s construction loans. Marlene also represented the Coalition in leasing 10 apartments at 611 West 112th Street, which facilitated settling litigation relating to that property. Michael Korotkin assisted Fran and Marlene in their respective efforts. Barry Berke 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. Barry Herzog, Mary Jo Brady, Blake Rigel, and Helayne Stoopack assisted Common Ground and its affiliates in a variety of tax-related matters, including obtaining federal tax-exempt status for an affiliate that owns the McBurney YMCA in Chelsea and will provide supportive housing to formerly homeless people and young adults coming out of foster care, and another that has purchased the Andrews Hotel on the Bowery to provide lodging for the working poor and homeless. Geoff Potter, 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.
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