City Launches Partners in Preservation Pilot Program

HPD and NYC Housing Development Corporation (HDC) recently announced the launch of Partners in Preservation, a new pilot program that will serve as a hub for local anti-displacement initiatives in the Inwood and Washington Heights, East Harlem, and Jerome Avenue neighborhoods. The program will provide funding for community-based organizations to jointly coordinate anti-displacement initiatives – such as code enforcement, tenant organizing and education, legal representation, affirmative litigation, and other strategies – in these neighborhoods.

The program is funded by the City of New York and Enterprise Community Partners with a commitment of $1.5 million. Enterprise funding was the result a New York State Attorney General settlement.

The pilot program will focus on four core strategies:

• A data-driven process to identify rent-regulated buildings where harassment and displacement are most likely to occur.
• Tailored action plans for each identified building that include a range of strategies, such as code enforcement, tenant organizing and education, affirmative litigation, and legal counseling.
• Regular, close coordination with community partners, which includes all parties tasked with implementing the action plans (government agencies, tenant organizers, and legal service providers).
• Focus on neighborhoods where building-specific interventions can be paired with comprehensive outreach efforts to inform tenants of their rights.

HPD will devote staff and provide funding for community-based organizations to jointly coordinate anti-displacement initiatives in the pilot neighborhoods. In the coming months, the city will be issuing a request for proposals (RFP) to identify and procure qualified non-profit partners. In addition to the $1.5 million allocated for community-based organizations, HPD will be dedicating staff members to operate and coordinate the program.