Photo Courtesy of Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office
“With the launch of the Tenant Resource Portal, we are unveiling the first, City-hosted platform where tenants at risk of eviction can go to find a unified directory of all the housing-related resources they may need,” Mayor de Blasio said.
By Forum Staff
The city’s first-ever online resource to help residential renters access free resources from the City to help prevent evictions and keep tenants stably housed launched on Monday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced.
The NYC Tenant Resource Portal launched through the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants, the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit, and the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications; it features an eviction-prevention tool to help renters navigate free public and private resources that can stabilize their housing situations.
According to the administration, the portal is free and accessible to all residential tenants. Tenants will respond to a series of questions about their unique circumstances and be directed to the most relevant resources, such as help navigating an illegal lockout or eviction. The portal also has up-to-date information on the general status of evictions in New York City Housing Court. Tenants who do not have access to the internet can call 311 and ask for the “Tenant Helpline,” which was launched in partnership with 311 and HRA’s Office of Civil Justice in April of this year, where they will be connected to a PEU Tenant Support Specialist to receive free, individualized assistance.
“The City is doing everything in our power to support vulnerable families as they deal with a public health and economic crisis,” de Blasio said. “With the launch of the Tenant Resource Portal, we are unveiling the first, City-hosted platform where tenants at risk of eviction can go to find a unified directory of all the housing-related resources they may need.”
De Blasio also noted that through the portal, MOPT, PEU, and DoITT have brought together resources from multiple City agencies, City-funded nonprofit legal service organizations, and Community Based Organizations, improving and streamlining how tenants can learn about the options that may be available to them.
“The creation of this portal has been underway for many months, and when COVID-19 hit we knew we had to pivot our focus towards helping tenants navigate the uncertainty of housing court and eviction during an unprecedented time in our City,” said Rachel Flaherty, Project Leader for the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants. “We’re excited and grateful to have partnered with the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit and the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications to build this tool to provide New Yorkers with more clarity on housing court and eviction – two things that are never easy to navigate, but especially right now.”
Omar Khan, director of the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit, added, “The new tenant portal will help New Yorkers receive the free assistance they need and deserve, especially during the current pandemic which has left so many people in our communities facing greater housing instability. I encourage all tenants who need assistance to use the portal or contact PEU’s outreach specialists via the 311 Tenant Helpline. In addition to the portal and Helpline, PEU’s Tenant Support Unit will continue proactively connecting with vulnerable tenants to ensure all New Yorkers get the support they need during this unprecedented situation.”
