Most people with disabilities are searching for housing the same exact way as everybody else…
Housing Connect.
Zillow.
Waiting lists.
Meanwhile there are supportive housing developments listed directly on NYS websites that people barely talk about.
Website:
opwdd.ny.gov/providers/housing
In this video I break down how to:
• Find supportive housing developments
• Research the building on HPDOnline
• Find management contacts
• Reach out directly about vacancies and waitlists
• Contact provider agencies that may help with placement assistance
This is the type of research that can separate you from the crowd.
A lot of hidden gems in NYC housing come from knowing where to look and being willing to do the extra work.
If this helps somebody, share it with them. #nychousing #supportivehousing #housingassistance #affordablehousing
A lot of people with disabilities are ONLY looking on Housing Connect and Zillow…
Meanwhile there’s supportive housing opportunities sitting on government websites that barely anybody is checking.
Go to:
opwdd.ny.gov/providers/housing
Scroll down to:
“List of Integrated Supportive Housing”
You’ll find developments and provider agencies across NYC.
Now here’s the real gem:
Take the addresses from those developments and put them into HPDOnline.
Check the building history.
Look for violations, complaints, and management info.
Then start researching the management company directly.
Find their emails.
Find their numbers.
Call and ask about vacancies or waitlists.
Also contact the provider agencies listed in the PDF and ask if they assist people with disabilities in finding available supportive housing units.
Most people stop at applications.
You gotta start building connections and doing research too.
This might not get you housing overnight, but it can definitely increase your chances by putting you in places most people aren’t even looking.
#nychousing #housingassistance #supportivehousing #affordablehousing
Most people never try this… which is exactly why it still works.
Go on Google and type:
“HPD rerental landlords”
Click that first link and you’ll find a whole list of property management companies across NYC.
Now here’s the part people skip:
CALL them.
EMAIL them.
Ask about vacancies directly.
You gon hear a lot of “nothing available.”
Cool. Keep going.
Because one yes can change your whole situation.
And before somebody says it:
Yeah, HPD removed a lot of the direct staff contacts from the site. But the gems are still there. Go on the management company websites, find the leasing email or phone number, and start reaching out yourself.
Y’all be waiting on Housing Connect and Zillow with 20,000 other people fighting for the same unit.
Sometimes you gotta go around the crowd.
Have any of y’all actually tried cold calling landlords before? Did it work or nah?
#nychousing #housingconnect #housingassistance
A lot of people get denied for HRA benefits over “missing documents”…
Meanwhile, you uploaded everything already and it’s literally sitting in the portal.
Here’s a gem:
If your case gets denied or things start looking delayed, contact your local City Council office and ask them to submit your documents directly to HRA for you.
Now there’s an official paper trail and it becomes a lot harder for them to hit you with the “we never received it” excuse.
A lot of this system is knowing how to navigate it, not just filling out the application.
Spanish:
Mucha gente está siendo denegada para beneficios de HRA por “documentos faltantes”…
Y en realidad, ya subieron todo y los documentos están en el portal.
Aquí les va un consejo:
Si su caso se ve atrasado o les niegan los beneficios, comuníquense con la oficina de su concejal local y pidan que envíen los documentos directamente a HRA en su nombre.
Así queda constancia oficial y es mucho más difícil que después digan que “nunca recibieron los documentos.”
Muchas veces este sistema se trata de saber cómo navegarlo, no solo llenar la solicitud.
I’m getting 100s of housing DMs every week and truthfully I do not have the capacity to personally walk everybody through the process one by one anymore.
That’s exactly why I made my NYC Housing E-Guide.
77 pages full of gems:
Affordable housing programs
Step-by-step instructions
Scripts
Landlord lists
Housing contacts
Homeownership programs
How to use HPD, HCR, Housing Connect & more to your advantage
This is literally information I’ve learned from years of helping tenants and families navigate NYC housing.
If you actually sit down and go through the guide, I genuinely believe it can help you.
And if you still got questions after reading it, then reach out to me.
But start with the guide first.
/l/NYCLHSG #housingassistance
THIS JOB FAIR DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHERS. LOOK WHO WE GOT IN THE BUILDING. I TOLD THEM DONT FLCOME OF THEY PROVIDING JOBS. MAKE SURE YOURE THERE & ON TIME. COME AS YOU PLEASE. DONT MISS AB OPPORTUNITY CUZ YOU DONT HAVEVA TIE, BUTTON UP & CHURCH SHOES.
IN THE BUILDING:
SBS
OASAS
DSS
DCAS
CAMBA
NYCHA REES
DSNY
NYC DOE District 79 Adult and Continuing Education
NYCEM/ Ready NY
Gotham Health
BKDA
FDNY
ECCOIII
CHLDC: Employment & Training Program
BK Public Library
Fidelis
Laborers Local 108
Action Carting Environmental Group
Brooklyn Childrens Museum
Hot Bread Kitchen
CP Unlimited
OBT Jobs
NYC DOE District 79 Adult and Continuing Education
NY Power Authority
NYC Parks Dep
IDNYC
MTA
#jobfair #employment #unemployment #snapbenefits #localunion
If you getting SNAP benefits in NYC, pay attention to these ABAWD work rules so you don’t randomly lose your food stamps.
ABAWD = Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents.
Usually this means adults ages 18-64 with no child under 14 in the household.
If you fall under these rules, you usually gotta:
• Work at least 20hrs a week
• Do approved training/workshops
• Or volunteer/community service
If not, your SNAP can get cut off after 3 months.
BUT a lot of people don’t realize there are exemptions.
You may be exempt if you:
• Have a physical or mental health condition
• Are pregnant
• Receive disability benefits
• Care for someone
• Are in school/training
• Are already working
• Are in treatment programs
• Or meet other special conditions
Also IMPORTANT:
If you make more than $217.50 a week before taxes, you may already be exempt from these rules even if you work under 20hrs.
And if your SNAP was cut off already, that doesn’t always mean it’s over. You may be able to get your benefits back.
If you think HRA made a mistake or you qualify for an exemption, contact your local district ASAP and submit proof/documents.
A lot of people lose benefits simply because they didn’t know the rules or didn’t report changes in time. #snapbenefits
Aquí les va otra forma de conseguir vivienda sin usar Housing Connect o Zillow. Va tomar un chin de trabajo, pero puedes encontrar una joyita escondida.
Las Rent Guidelines Boards tienen cientos de páginas con apartamentos rent stabilized por todo NYC.
Cuando encuentres algunos en el área donde quieres vivir, entra a HPD Online, pon la dirección y revisa el historial. Mira si hay violaciones o quejas.
Después baja hasta abajo y vas a ver el dueño y la compañía de manejo del edificio. Ve a Google, busca su información de contacto y empieza a llamar preguntando si tienen apartamentos vacantes. #housingassistance
If you got an older parent, grandparent, auntie, uncle or you’re a senior yourself struggling to find affordable housing in NYC — stop relying only on Housing Connect & Zillow.
There’s actually senior housing programs, buildings and directories a lot of people don’t know exist.
Here’s a few places to search:
• HousingSearch.HCR.NY.gov
• NYSFC.org
• HPD Senior Housing (NYC.gov)
• Aging.NY.gov
• JASA.org
• After55.com
Also go on 311 and search:
“Housing Options for Older Adults”
Other places to look into:
• New York Foundation for Senior Citizens
• Brightview Senior Living
A lot of seniors qualify for housing, supportive services, reduced rent, accessibility accommodations and more but don’t even know where to start.
Save this for your family. NYC housing is hard enough already. #housingassistance
What's that you say? A museum in East New York dedicated to the history of seltzer? Well just ask @nyccouncil member @cmsandynurse about it. She took her entire staff to the @brooklynseltzermuseum to learn the origin story of this iconic NYC drink. Afterwards staffers got to spritz each other, drink sharp seltzer, and, as a special treat, sample egg creams. #seltzer #eastnewyork
A lot of y’all be dealing with bad landlords and don’t know the pressure points.
If your building got leaks, mold, broken conditions, no maintenance, pests or management not responding; document EVERYTHING. Take pictures/videos, save texts/emails and start putting in 311 complaints.
Then reach out to your local elected official and provide the 311 complaint numbers. Their office can contact HPD directly and request inspections. Once HPD starts issuing violations, it becomes more expensive for landlords to ignore the problem than to actually fix it.
Use the system. Stop letting bad landlords play with you.
#housingassistance
Here’s another way to get housing without using Housing Connect or Zillow. It’s gon take a lil work but it’ll land you a hidden gem.
The rent guideline boards have 100s of pages of rent stabilized apartments all over NYC.
When you find some in the area you want to live in; head over to HPDOnline, put in the address & check the history. See if there are any violations or complaints. Then scroll down to the bottom and you will see the owner and housing management. Go on google and find their contact and start cold calling for vacant units. #housingassistance
