Housing
Housing is New York City has reached an all-time high. Although we are working to resolve housing issues everyday, much more needs to be done--we need to increase transparency between landlords and tenants and we need to preserve and create affordable housing for those in need.
City Hall Update: My Recent Work on Housing Issues
Ultimately, all New Yorkers deserve to have a safe and affordable home. Find below a few of my ongoing initiatives:
- Landlords have refused prospective tenants solely because they appear on a “Tenant Blacklist”. Often, the outcome of a Housing Court case is not even considered. I am cosponsoring a bill to reverse this unfair practice.
- Individuals or families receiving rental assistance vouchers deserve to have long-standing support, so long as they continue to meet all eligibility requirements. For this reason, I am supporting this bill.
- In 2015, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) published “The ABCs of Housing,” an information guide meant to inform tenants and owners of their rights and obligations. This bill would amend the guide to include information regarding a tenant’s obligation to pay rent in cases where the owner is found to be violating the building’s certificate of occupancy.
- There is a serious shortage of affordable housing in New York City. To move forward with this issue, I am sponsoring legislation that would create an affordable housing lottery task force to review and improve current processes.
- A buyout agreement is an agreement where the owner pays the tenant money to vacate his or her apartment. It is now required that owners engaging in buyout agreements with their tenants submit information about the terms of the agreement to HPD within 90 days of execution. My bill was enacted in June; it can be found here.
Resources For Housing
Affordable Housing Resources
New York City Housing Authority
250 Broadway New York, New York 10007
Telephone: 212-306-3000
Website: http://www1.nyc.gov/site/nycha/index.page
NYCHA is a City agency whose goal is to provide low income housing to New York City residents; they currently provide affordable housing to over 400,000 New Yorkers.
Housing Preservation and Development
100 Gold Street New York, NY 10038
Telephone: 311
Website: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/hpd/about/contact-us.page
HPD is a City agency with the goal of creating sustainable, equitable, and feasible housing and neighborhoods throughout the City.
NYC Department of Buildings
280 Broadway, 7th floor New York, NY 10007
Telephone: (212) 566-5000
TTY Number: (212) 566-4769
Website: http://www1.nyc.gov/site/nycha/about/about-nycha.page
NYC Department of Buildings is responsible for ensuring adherence to building codes, electrical codes, zoning resolutions, and state laws.
New York State Department of Housing and Urban Development
Jacob K. Javits Federal Building (Broadway - between Duane & Worth Streets), 26 Federal Plaza, Suite 354, New York, NY 10278-0068
Telephone: (800) CALL-FHA (225-5342)
Website: www.hud.gov/answers
Email: [email protected]
P.A.’L.A.N.T.E--People Against Landlord Abuse and Tenant Exploitation
470 West 126 Street, New York, NY 10027
Telephone: (212) 491-2541
Email: [email protected]
Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation
45 Wadsworth Avenue, New York, NY 10033
Telephone: (212) 822-8300
TDD/TTY: 1-800-662-1220
Website: http://nmic.org/
HPD Housing Connect
Using the Housing Connect portal, people can find lotteries they can apply for to find affordable housing opportunities. For new development projects, if they received subsidy then a certain number of units must be made “affordable.” Depending on the amount of subsidy, the requirements change.
Affordable Housing Packet
My office produces our own housing packet. It provides information on different housing opportunities. It can be picked up from our district office.
