New York City Launches NYC Tenant Resource Portal, Aims to Reduce Evictions

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio recently announced the launch of The NYC Tenant Resource Portal – the city’s first free online portal to help tenants avoid eviction and keep them housed.

“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.”

Users of the portal are asked a series of questions in order to be directed to the most useful resources based on their responses. They can also find the most recent information about the status of evictions in New York City’s Housing Court. Resources are included from multiple city agencies, legal service providers, and community based organizations. The portal is offered in 11 different languages.

People without internet access can call 311 and ask for the Tenant Helpline to be connected to a PEU Tenant Support Specialist for free assistance.

The portal is a collaboration of the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants (MOPT), the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit (PEU), and the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT).

“As New York City continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, we are doing all we can to help New Yorkers avoid evictions and secure their homes,” said Department of Social Services commissioner, Steven Banks. “From investing in programs that stop evictions, like legal assistance in housing court, to helping New Yorkers pay the rent, protecting tenants has been part of our prevention first strategy. The Tenant Resources Portal will help renters facing challenges navigate the tools available to them in these unprecedented times, including free legal assistance, providing New Yorkers with a platform to more easily access the resources they need to stabilize their housing situations.”