Following demonstrations that led to the arrests of seven people last week, including Bronx Councilman Fernando Cabrera, the New York City Housing Authority agreed to extend rental agreements with two Bronx churches who worship in city-owned buildings.

The churches — Bronx Bible Church at the Justice Sonia Sotomayor Houses and Infinity New York Church at the Bronx River Houses — will be allowed to continue renting space at the facilities until at least Feb. 26 while NYCHA completes its comprehensive review of all of its rental agreements with organizations.

Cabrera and pastors from both churches were arrested on Thursday morning after conducting a “prayer protest” in front of the downtown Manhattan building that houses the city’s law department. Cabrera and the clergyman say they were told the law department directed NYCHA to evict them following a court ruling that upheld the city’s ban on worship in public school buildings.

NYCHA and the law department insist that the two cases are completely separate and that NYCHA does not have a policy that excludes religious organizations from renting its public spaces for worship.

On Thursday night, the law department released this statement:

“We find it odd that protestors were at the Law Department today. As NYCHA advised the City Council many months ago, it has been independently reviewing its policy regarding all users of its facilities — and not just those involved with religious organizations — for over a year now. So the matter had been under consideration long before the U.S. Supreme Court refused in December to hear the Bronx Household of Faith decision from this past summer. Finally, NYCHA’s policies have nothing to do with the Department of Education’s policies. There is absolutely no connection, and one would be misinformed to suggest there is.”

Here’s a statement from NYCHA:

“The New York City Housing Authority is not evicting any of these organizations from our property. These organizations have been using NYCHA space under short-term agreements that have expired according to their terms. We have offered each of the 5 groups an extension to remain at NYCHA facilities, and 4 of the 5 have signed an extension agreement. For almost a year, NYCHA has been reviewing the terms under which it rents its space to all organizations.”

Cabrera, who is pushing for legislation on the state level that would lift the ban on worship in schools, was quick to declare victory.

“This is a great victory,” said Cabrera in a statement.  “But the fight isn’t over and more rallies are being planned. We will continue to call on Mayor Bloomberg to lift the ban on Houses of Worship from meeting in public schools. I hope Mayor Bloomberg will follow the example of NYCHA’s and allow Houses of Worship to continue to meet in New York City Public Schools without restriction based on content.”