
One of the new advertisements that are a part of a campaign by the Mayor’s office to inform tenants of their rights. Image Credit: Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants
de Blasio Administration educates tenants on Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act. On October 21, 2019, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the launch of a campaign to educate tenants on their new rights under the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019. The Mayor’s Office designed the advertisements to protect tenants and give New York City renters the information they need to hold their landlords accountable. (more…)

Heat Seek, winner of the NYC[x] Co-Labs Housing Rights Challenge, operates by using sensors around the apartment or home to detect the temperature. The sensors and temperature logs help provide proof that a landlord or property owner is not providing legally required heating to tenants. Image Credit: Heat Seek, www.heatseek.org/explore-the-tech
NYC[x] Co-Labs challenge hopes to address housing rights of NYC’s most vulnerable communities. On November 12, 2020, the New York Mayor’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the NYC Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants, and the communities of Inwood and Washington Heights announced the winners and the honorable mentions for the NYC[x] Co-Labs Housing Rights Challenge. This challenge invited innovative and tech-enabled solutions to address the housing rights of New York City’s most vulnerable communities. Submissions were solicited from startups, technologists, and innovators from across the globe. To read more about the competition, click
here. The winners of the Housing Rights Challenge are
Heat Seek and
Justfix.nyc with an honorable mention going to
3×3. (more…)

Jackie Bray is the new Director of the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants. Image Credit: NYC Mayor’s Office
The Office develops policy to strengthen tenant protections. On April 15, 2019, the Mayor’s Office announced First Deputy Commissioner at the New York City Department of Homeless Services Jackie Bray will serve as Director of the Office to Protect Tenants to address the City’s “anti-harassment initiatives, enhance interagency enforcement and closely engage with tenants and advocates.” (more…)

Mayor Adams announces push to promote available tenant protections upon the impending end of the state’s eviction moratorium. Image Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office
The Mayor joins a collective call from New York leadership at the federal, state and municipal levels to help New Yorkers avoid evictions with federal rental assistance. On January 13, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams announced a new push to promote tenant protections that are available in New York City and called for an infusion of funds from the US Department of Treasury into the state’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program. The announcement comes as the state’s eviction moratorium is set to expire on January 15th. (more…)

Mayor Bill de Blasio at New York City first ever virtual bill signing Image Credit: Mayor’s Office
Local Law addressing personal liability provisions in commercial leases raises constitutional law discussion. On May 26, 2020, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed seven COVID-19 relief bills into law during New York City’s first ever virtual bill signing. Among the laws, Local Law 55 of 2020, sponsored by Council Member Carlina Rivera, temporarily prevents the enforcement of personal liability provisions in commercial leases or rental agreements involving COVID-19 impacted tenants. The law also makes it a form of harassment to attempt or threaten to enforce personal liability provisions on the COVID-19 impacted tenant. Several of the bills were heard by their respective committees on April 29, 2020 and all were approved by their committees and the full Council on May 13, 2020. To read CityLand’s prior coverage of the other COVID-19 Relief Bills and Local Law 55 at public hearing, click here. For the coverage of the Third Party Delivery Service bills and the Stated Meeting click here.
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