Supporting Safe, Stable Housing

Connecting to Services and Support

In our housing resource hubs, we help residents get the crucial public benefits, and services, and information on their rights that they need to remain housed and guide them through the process of navigating the housing court system. Since 2001, the Center has operated two neighborhood-based housing courts with on-site housing resource centers, in Harlem and Red Hook, Brooklyn. 

Neighbors Helping Neighbors

Legal Hand provides free legal information, assistance, and referrals to residents via highly trained volunteers–including both local residents and law students–who are overseen by a legal professional. While visitors seek help for a range of problems including public benefits, immigration, domestic violence, debt and employment, our volunteers most often support housing concerns. Legal Hand works out of a collection of storefronts in Brooklyn, Queens, and Bronx communities. 

Navigating Public Housing

A team of Housing Navigators work in public housing communities throughout the City addressing the most pressing issues threatening the housing stability of public housing residents including rental arrears, evictions, health, and habitability. 

Meeting the Most Vulnerable Where They Are

Community First is an innovative, community-based approach to connect with people who are experiencing homelessness or mental health issues while centering their agency. By building trusting relationships and utilizing a trauma-informed method of outreach, staff are able to facilitate referrals for individuals who may previously have been more hesitant to connect to services, ultimately improving the chances of long-term success. 

Building Eviction Diversion in the Courts

To prevent the devastating harms of eviction, we work closely with the court systems in New York City, Suffolk County on Long Island, and New Jersey to provide emergency relief, legal guidance, and referrals to supportive services for tenants at risk of losing their homes. In 2023, over 1,000 households were offered eviction prevention services in Essex County, New Jersey $280,000+ in emergency funds distributed to New Jersey residents to cover rental arrears.

Accessing Housing Court Virtually

With New York State’s Office for Justice Initiatives and the New York County Housing Court Clerk's Office, we launched the Virtual Court Access Network, connecting residents in Brooklyn and East and Central Harlem communities to housing justice virtually. Rather than lengthy travel to a specific housing court, residents can go to the Resource Center in their community to virtually respond to eviction notices, initiate actions against their landlord for home repairs or harassment, or seek more time pending an imminent eviction. Nearly 200 tenants used the Virtual Court Access Network at the Harlem Community Justice Center in 2023. 

Building Capacity for Neighborhood Safety 

Neighborhood Safety Initiatives builds the capacity of community stakeholders to develop transformative solutions for creating safe, vibrant neighborhoods. NSI supports the development of resident stakeholder teams, providing training on effective community engagement, developing strategies for community-led initiatives, and facilitating the implementation of social programs or built environment projects that leave a long-lasting positive impact on the community.

Learn more about our housing work.