The Landlord Ambassadors Program (LAP)

Organization Name: Enterprise Community Partners, in collaboration with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD)

Project Location: City-wide (with specific Community Focus areas in South / Central Bronx, Northern Manhattan, and Central / Eastern Brooklyn

Project Goals:
The Landlord Ambassadors Program (LAP) aims to leverage the expertise of non-profit housing organizations to connect small- to mid-sized property owners with affordable housing programs. Through the two-year program, non-profit Ambassador organizations will conduct outreach and recruit interested property owners, and guide them through the full process of enrolling in a NYC Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) regulatory program, from the initial financial assistance application and due diligence to closing or approval of HPD financial assistance programs, such as loans and tax incentives. Ambassadors also work with a target group of multifamily owners whose properties are at risk of entering the tax lien sale to stabilize building operations for the long term.

Project Description:
Enterprise, in close collaboration with HPD, identified three affordable housing non-profits as the inaugural ambassadors: Mutual Housing Association of New York – MHANY Management, Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, and RiseBoro Community Partnership. Through the Neighborhood-Based Assistance portion of the program, the Ambassador teams identify owners interested in preserving the affordability of their buildings and help them navigate housing preservation resources. They also share best practices in building management, helping to further ensure long-term affordability. Under the Tax Lien Sales Pilot, Landlord Ambassadors will ensure long-term property stability by providing technical assistance to owners of buildings with tax liens that are otherwise eligible to be sold in a tax lien sale. Through both portions of the program, Ambassadors guide property owners towards sound capital, helping to eventually fund building upgrades.

Community Impact:
As the cost of living increases citywide, the program will help small-scale landlords keep rents affordable by providing strategies to withstand swings in the housing market, ultimately protecting low-income families from rising rents and ensuring that buildings retaining local ownership. If owners can preserve the affordability of their buildings and maintain cash flow, they can help tenants stay in place, minimize pressure to sell their buildings, and stabilize communities in the process. The pilot program will run through June 2019 and is a promising model for preserving affordable housing and could be expanded to benefit even more New Yorkers.

Organization Description:
Enterprise’s mission is to provide opportunity for low- and moderate-income people through affordable housing in diverse, thriving communities. We raise and leverage financial resources, shape policy, and provide programs to help communities create and preserve safe, healthy, and affordable homes. We also work to ensure that housing connects people to other resources critical to success, like transportation, quality schools, and health care services.