The Housing Equity Unit is responsible for assessing the state of housing security within New York City by addressing a range of interrelated government management concerns, including the city’s response to homelessness, temporary housing and shelters, tenant rights, public housing (NYCHA) conditions and repairs; zoning; housing fairness; and access to affordable, safe, and quality living spaces.
Housing is a human right, and in order to mitigate the imbalances, build support, and appropriately address the housing needs of all New Yorkers, the Office of the Public Advocate offers legislative and policy initiatives to address the crisis of affordability, homelessness, tenants rights, and protections in New York City.
In 2019, Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams unveiled the annual Worst Landlords Watchlist, which spotlights the top 100 most egregiously negligent landlords in New York City as determined by widespread and repeated violations in buildings on the list.
Is your landlord one of the Top 100 Worst Landlords? You can see if your landlord is listed here: Worst Landlord Watchlist. The Landlord Watchlist is an information-sharing tool intended to allow tenants, public officials, advocates, and other concerned individuals to identify which residential property owners consistently flout the City’s laws intended to protect the rights and safety of tenants.
Every New Yorker deserves a safe and affordable place to live, in a neighborhood that provides opportunities to get ahead. The Housing Equity Unit offers all New Yorkers the tools designed to address a variety of housing needs.