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Advocates press council for preservation funding, community land trusts and a property‑management pilot

New York City Council Committee on Housing and Buildings · March 24, 2026

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Summary

Community groups and tenant advocates urged the council to fund preservation, tenant legal services, community land trusts and a $1M property‑management pilot for small homeowners (senior emphasis) to prevent displacement and stabilize housing.

New York — Dozens of community organizations and housing advocates used the March 24 hearing to press the City Council for targeted investments to preserve affordable homes and protect tenants.

Speakers representing Neighborhood Housing Services of New York City asked the council for $1 million to launch a citywide pilot property‑management program to support low‑ and moderate‑income owners of one‑ to four‑family homes (with an emphasis on seniors and owners with disabilities) who struggle with routine maintenance, snow removal, and contractor management. "For many homeowners, property‑management support can make the difference between staying in their home and having to leave it," said Tanya Orris of NHS NYC.

Other witnesses, including Coalition for the Homeless, UHAB, NYHC and Stabilizing NYC, called for significantly expanded preservation capital, a city‑level loan workout/rescue fund for distressed affordable buildings and much larger allocations for deeply affordable units for extremely low‑income households and homeless set‑aside units. Several organizations pressed for a $50 million community land trust capital fund and increases to CHPS (Community Housing Preservation Strategies) and tenant organizing funding.

Legal services providers and tenant organizers highlighted a separate but linked concern: delayed payments under city contracts. Dozens of nonprofit legal‑services groups said contract registration and payment delays are hobbling eviction‑defense and tenant‑organizing programs; one provider estimated the sector was owed tens of millions and urged the city to provide contract advances and clear the backlog.

Advocates emphasized that preservation and tenant legal supports are complementary: legal representation and organizing stop evictions and harassment in the near term while capital preserves buildings and stabilizes neighborhoods over the long term.

The council heard numerous specific asks and pledged to follow up on contract‑payment status, preservation pipeline details, and to consider language for pilot funding in the FY27 adoption process.