New Resource Builds on Mayor Adams’ $44 Million Investment to Expand Homeownership, Helping New Yorkers Build Wealth
New York City Mayor Eric Adams today released the “Homeowner Handbook: Protecting and Maintaining Home in NYC,” a comprehensive guide to help New Yorkers navigate the responsibilities of homeownership and access resources to protect and maintain their homes. An initiative of the Homeowner Help Desk and a partnership between the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), the Center for NYC Neighborhoods, the Office of the New York Attorney General, and local community-based organizations, the handbook builds on Mayor Adams’ $44 million investment in expanding homeownership to help New Yorkers — particularly in lower-income communities and communities of color — build and maintain wealth.
“The best way to build wealth is to own a home, and my administration is investing the money and doing the work to make the dream of homeownership a reality for more New Yorkers,” said Mayor Adams. “I will not accept a city where Black and Brown communities and renters are priced out of the chance to build wealth for their children and grandchildren. The Homeowner Handbook will provide New Yorkers with critical tools to not only own a home, but also protect it and maintain it so they can pass it onto the next generation.”
“Homeownership is one of our most important tools to supporting housing stability and building generational wealth. The new Homeowner Handbook will help New Yorkers learn about the resources and programs available to maintain and stay in their homes,” said Chief Housing Officer Jessica Katz. “Our new citywide housing blueprint, ‘Housing Our Neighbors,’ prioritizes homeownership as a key step in tackling our housing shortage, and we are proud to partner with the Center for NYC Neighborhoods, Neighborhood Housing Services of Brooklyn, Brooklyn Neighborhood Services, and Brooklyn Legal Services to bring this new handbook to the community.”
“New York City is placing homeownership front and center because we know it’s a proven path to building wealth, financial security, and equity for the next generation,” said HPD Commissioner Adolfo Carrión Jr. “The Homeowner Handbook is a tool to empower homeowners with the information they need to meet their responsibilities, keep their homes in good condition, and protect their homes if they fall on hard times. I thank the mayor for his leadership on this issue and all our partners for stepping up.”
The cover of the Homeowner Handbook. Credit: New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development
The handbook will help owners of one- to four-family homes identify public entities and homeownership programs, with information on financial assistance and resources on maintaining and keeping a home. It also includes guidance on regulations, addressing code violations, paying arrears, and complying with local laws. HPD, the Center for NYC Neighborhoods, and Brooklyn-based housing partners will share the handbook and other tools with homeowners at a homeowner resource fair tonight co-hosted with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, the New York City Department of Buildings, and the New York City Department of Finance later today in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. Homeowners can also call 1-855-HOME-456 to learn how to obtain a free copy of the Homeowner Handbook.
The Homeowner Handbook builds on Mayor Adams’ commitment to supporting homeowners and first-time homebuyers, outlined in “Housing Our Neighbors: A Blueprint for Housing and Homelessness.” Over the next four years, the administration expects to support 1,200 first-time homebuyers, help 450 households with critical home repairs, and reach 4,000 homeowners through the Homeowner Help Desk.
“While homeownership can lead to the American Dream, it’s not always an easy road to travel. The new Homeowner Handbook will help homeowners overcome any unexpected obstacles and navigate systems that disproportionately impact low-income communities — from managing tax lien sales to making critical home repairs,” said Christie Peale, CEO and executive director, Center for NYC Neighborhoods. “For New York to remain an equitable city, where people from diverse economic backgrounds can thrive, we must support New Yorkers in their goals of owning their homes — and keeping them for future generations. We extend our deep thanks to Mayor Adams and HPD for their continued investment in intergenerational wealth and stability.”
“New Yorkers have a basic right to safe and affordable housing, but far too many homeowners have fallen prey to deed theft and other predatory housing scams,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James. “Using funds from my office’s initiative to prevent deed theft, this new Homeowner Handbook will help build on our efforts to educate New Yorkers about these scams, their rights, and ensure they can remain in their homes. I am proud to partner with Mayor Adams, HPD, and housing advocates to launch this critical resource and protect our communities for years to come.”
Born out of the Bedford-Stuyvesant Housing Plan — a community planning effort in which Mayor Adams was involved as Brooklyn borough president — the Homeowner Handbook is a product of the city’s Homeowner Help Desk, an initiative piloted in Central Brooklyn, Southeast Queens, and the North Bronx with funding from Enterprise Community Partners and the Office of the New York Attorney General, which the administration has committed to expanding. Other help desk partners include:
- Neighborhood Housing Services of Brooklyn Community Development Corporation (NHS Brooklyn CDC) Inc.,
- Brooklyn Neighborhood Services,
- Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A,
- Neighborhood Housing Services of Jamaica,
- Jewish Association Serving the Aging (JASA),
- Bronx Legal Services, and
- Neighborhood Housing Services of NYC.
Since its launch to support homeowners facing the greatest risk of displacement, the help desk has successfully reached 34,000 homeowners, connected more than 800 residents to services, and helped more than 400 homeowners strengthen their financial situations.
The Adams administration’s recommitment to homeownership comes amid a 20-year decline in the homeownership rate among Black New Yorkers, exacerbated by the 2008 foreclosure crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Keeping families, especially long-term Brooklynites, in their homes was an important community priority during my transition, and I’m glad that Mayor Adams is helping support this through his Homeowner Handbook, built from the Bed-Stuy Housing Plan in Brooklyn,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “Building sustainable community growth, continuity, and generational wealth is important for the future of our borough and city, and I look forward to supporting strong plans that will help further accomplish this.”
“Owning a home is one of the most impactful and effective ways for families to build generational wealth. But for many New Yorkers, especially during difficult financial times, navigating homeownership can be an incredibly difficult and confusing process,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “With the Homeowner Handbook, I’m confident we can successfully connect homeowners and new homebuyers with the resources they need to safeguard one of the most important investments they will ever make.”
“When COVID-19 arrived in New York City, all New Yorkers were impacted and among them homeowners. For this reason, I applaud the mayor’s decision to release the ‘Homeowner Handbook: Protecting and Maintaining Home in NYC,’ which looks to support homeowners with the unique and specific challenges they face,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson. “As we look to increase homeownership in the Bronx and citywide, this booklet demonstrates the city’s support for current and potential homeowners and that we are prepared to address issues like flooding, sanitation, parking, and more. I want to thank the mayor for his work with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the Center for NYC Neighborhoods, Neighborhood Housing Services of Brooklyn Community Development Corporation, Brooklyn Neighborhood Services, and Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A for their work in providing critical resources to our homeowners at this critical time.”
“As we continue to rebuild after the pandemic, Mayor Adams’ commitment to supporting new and current homeowners is a turning point,” said New York City Councilmember Marjorie Velázquez. “There are many resources that owners are unaware of, and they must have access to them for the development of our communities. This handbook comes at a pivotal time for my district, as we have HPD on the ground supporting homeowners after experiencing flooding that led to a sinkhole in Morris Park. This handbook is a vital tool, making city resources more transparent and accessible. We hope the handbook will be distributed to other areas, including the Bronx and district 13, where homeowners make up the majority of our constituency.”
“This handbook will provide homeowners with critical guidance so that they’ll have more understanding of the issues that can affect them and provide much-needed guidance on complex challenges, like foreclosure,” said Jessica Rose, executive director, Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A. “We want communities to thrive. And we want low- and moderate-income homeowners to be able to stay in their homes and preserve their equity. This handbook will help them do that.”
“For decades, Black and brown homeowners in gentrifying neighborhoods across the city have been targeted by scammers looking to trick them out of their deeds and a lifetime of equity,” said Alexis Lorenzo, director, Neighborhood Stabilization Project, Bronx Legal Services. “The Homeowner Handbook is a valuable resource for connecting distressed homeowners with experienced legal advocates like ourselves and to other recourse that will help them protect their homes from speculation and predatory behavior.”
“The Homeowner Handbook will become a critical resource to empower New York’s homeowners, especially for older adults who can often struggle to find accurate resources and information they need to protect and maintain their homes,” said JASA CEO Kathryn Haslanger. “JASA is committed to continuing to work with Mayor Adams, the city, and our partners to provide our city’s older adults with the information and legal services to enable them to age with dignity and autonomy in their own home.”
“Since the transition to primarily Black homeownership over 50 years ago, Southeast Queens homeowners have been victimized by redlining and predatory lending practices that make homeownership not only more difficult to achieve but also harder to sustain. Disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, we are again in a struggle to stabilize homeowners and protect them from the bad actors primed to take advantage of their distress,” said Lori Miller, executive director, Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) of Jamaica. “The Homeowner Handbook is a valuable resource, especially for those who don’t know what their options are or that there are organizations like NHS of Jamaica, The Legal Aid Society — Jamaica Branch, JASA, Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A, and many others throughout the city who stand ready to assist them.”
“For too many New Yorkers, homeownership is a dream rather than a reality, and even when it becomes a reality, it can be difficult or overwhelming to manage the responsibilities of maintaining a home,” said Baaba Halm, vice president and New York market leader, Enterprise Community Partners. “The Homeowner Handbook is a much-needed resource that will help New Yorkers, especially first-time homeowners from historically marginalized groups, to protect and maintain their homes. We are proud to support the city’s help desk for homeowners, and resources like the handbook are vital resources for city residents as they navigate the challenging but rewarding experience of homeownership.”
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