Urban Justice Center - Safety Net Project

What Urban Justice Center - Safety Net Project does

Urban Justice Center’s Safety Net Project is a New York City nonprofit legal-advocacy program serving low-income and homeless residents, SNAP and public-benefits recipients, housing-voucher holders, and people with lived experience of homelessness. It provides free direct representation and assistance with eviction and housing cases, SNAP and cash assistance, shelter rights, and housing vouchers through walk-in clinics, direct legal work, public education, media advocacy, and organizing. Its Safety Net Activists group consists of currently and formerly unhoused people who help set advocacy priorities.

Operations are based on human-delivered professional and advocacy work rather than a technology product: the source data identifies no technology platform, mobile app, API, proprietary AI system, or other core technology. The project reports 11 employees, with visible postings suggesting approximately 10-15 staff positions across housing and benefits attorneys, supervisors, paralegals, social work, outreach, and organizing. It is based at 40 Rector Street but does not conduct client intake there, directing clients to off-site legal clinics.

Funding comes from private donations, foundation grants, and possibly government contracts for legal services; no revenue amount, grant total, contract value, or client fee is disclosed. All client services are free, and the project uses a community-led model that combines individual assistance with class litigation, policy advocacy, and coalition activity. Its operating geography is limited to New York City.

Name

Urban Justice Center - Safety Net Project

Legal name

Urban Justice Center

Website

https://snp.urbanjustice.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Urban Justice Center’s Safety Net Project provides free legal representation, public-benefits assistance, housing advocacy, and policy litigation for low-income, unhoused, and housing-insecure New Yorkers through legal clinics and community-led organizing across New York City.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Aid and Advocacy Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Defense & Legal Aid Services (BPAIAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC), Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG)

Keywords

• Legal advocacy services
• Housing legal aid
• Public benefits assistance
• Homeless rights advocacy
• Community organizing

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Funded through private donations, foundation grants, and possibly government contracts for legal services. No specific revenue model disclosed.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Safety Net Project provides free direct legal representation to low-income New Yorkers facing eviction, housing instability, and public benefits denials through walk-in legal clinics and in-court advocacy. It supplements legal services with legislative and media advocacy, class action litigation (e.g., challenges to SNAP work requirements and homeless encampment sweeps), and community organizing via the Safety Net Activists group of currently and formerly unhoused individuals.

Product overview

The Safety Net Project is a direct legal services and advocacy organization within the Urban Justice Center that provides comprehensive support to low-income and homeless New Yorkers. Its core offerings include direct legal representation through walk-in clinics (housing/eviction, public benefits), policy advocacy for expanded housing vouchers and benefit programs, and organizing through Safety Net Activists (people with lived experience of homelessness). The organization also engages in litigation to challenge policies affecting homeless individuals, including SNAP work requirements and encampment sweeps. There is no technology product or platform offered—all services are human-delivered legal and advocacy services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Walk-in Legal Clinics / Direct Legal Services
• Housing Advocacy and Landlord/Tenant Practice
• Benefits Advocacy
• Safety Net Activists Organizing Program
• Right to Counsel Representation
• SNAP Work Requirements Legal Challenges
• Homeless Encampment Sweeps Legal Advocacy

Quantifiable outcome

• Filed federal lawsuit in October 2024 on behalf of six clients to stop violent homeless encampment sweeps
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Food Bank For NYCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFood Bank For NYC is part of HRA's outreach efforts to help impacted SNAP recipients meet monthly work hour requirements. The Safety Net Project works in coordination with food banks and community groups but this is not a formal partnership.
• Legal Aid SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal Aid Society is representing food stamp recipients and the nonprofit Urban Justice Center-Safety Net Project in lawsuit against USDA over SNAP work requirements. Joint litigation partnership.
• Vocal New YorkminorOthersAdvocacy organization that works with SNP on housing and benefits issues. Participated in CityFHEPS rally at Gracie Mansion.
• Housing WorksminorOthersAdvocacy organization co-sponsoring housing rights events and protests with SNP.
• Neighbors TogetherminorOthersCommunity organization partnering with SNP on housing advocacy campaigns.
• Empire Justice CenterminorOthersProvides recommendations to counties on SNAP work rule implementation. Not a formal partnership with SNP.
• 70+ Community GroupsminorOthersHRA has partnered with over 70 community groups including Food Bank For NYC to offer volunteer opportunities for SNAP recipients to meet work hour requirements.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Urban Resource Institute: NYC nonprofit providing housing, domestic violence services, and animal welfare programs. Overlaps with SNP on housing advocacy and services for vulnerable populations in NYC.

Direct peers

• Legal Aid Society: NYC's primary provider of free legal services to low-income residents. Direct competitor in housing court and public benefits representation, and explicit joint litigation partner with SNP against USDA on SNAP work requirements.
• Goddard Riverside: Manhattan-based human services nonprofit serving homeless and low-income New Yorkers with housing, benefits, and advocacy programs. Comparable scope of services and target population.
• Sanctuary for Families: NYC nonprofit providing services for survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking, including legal representation in housing and benefits matters. Comparable NYC legal services and advocacy focus.
• Coalition for the Homeless: NYC-based advocacy and direct service organization for homeless individuals. Overlaps with SNP on housing policy advocacy, lobbying for supportive housing, and reporting on homelessness statistics.
• CAMBA: Brooklyn-based nonprofit providing housing, legal, workforce, and social services to low-income New Yorkers. Overlaps with SNP on housing and homelessness services in NYC.
• Mobilization for Justice (formerly MFY Legal Services): NYC nonprofit that provides free legal services in housing, public benefits, family law, and consumer law. Comparable to SNP in mission, scale, and direct service model.
• Neighborhood Defenders Service of Harlem: NYC public defender organization providing criminal defense and civil legal services in Harlem. Comparable mission serving low-income communities with integrated legal advocacy.

Emerging players

• Empire Justice Center: New York statewide legal services and advocacy organization focused on poverty law, public benefits, and housing. Comparable mission working on SNAP work rule implementation referenced in SNP's advocacy.
• Vocal New York: NYC grassroots advocacy organization that organizes affected communities on housing, drug policy, and mass incarceration. Direct coalition partner with SNP on CityFHEPS advocacy and rallies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/urban-justice-center-safety-net-project

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Urban Justice Center - Safety Net Project