On Tuesday, April 29th, NYHC testified at the NYC Council Committee on Housing & Buildings oversight hearing on reforming NYC’s affordable housing lottery. The committee heard three bills that aim to improve Housing Connect for applicants.
Filling Vacant Re-Rental Units – This bill would require that HPD post on the housing portal any re-rental if the unit is required to be rented through the housing portal and only users who apply for the unit after it has been posted on the housing portal be considered to rent the unit.
Text and Email Notification for Applicants – This bill would ensure that applicants – or a designee of their choice – get text and email notifications about the status of their application, including requests for additional documentation, selection for a unit, and rejection of their application.
In-Person Application Assistance at Community Hubs – This bill would create a free, weekly, in-person Housing Connect Assistance program at Older Adult Centers, recreation centers, libraries, and community centers. The program would provide individualized assistance to those applying for Housing Connect units.
At the hearing, NYHC testified about the need for improvements to Housing Connect. And while we support the intent of the bills, we are concerned about enacting them into legislation because Housing Connect does not have the functionality to support the requirements and unfunded mandates can negatively impact HPD, especially in an environment of potentially significant federal funding cuts.
Read NYHC’s testimony here.