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Q&A
Preservation of existing affordable housing and anti-displacement measures
0:54:42
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104 sec
Council Member Hudson asks about HPD's proposals to expand programs that help preserve existing affordable housing and assist tenants and homeowners threatened by displacement. Sarit Platkin from HPD outlines a multi-pronged approach to address these concerns.
- Implementation of the Partners in Preservation Program with a $3 million commitment over three years
- Focus on community organizing, tenant organizing, and education on tenant rights
- Exploration of additional opportunities for legal services in the area to protect tenants
Crystal Hudson
0:54:42
Thank you.
0:54:43
We must create as much new affordable housing as possible but also preserve what already exists.
0:54:49
How is HPD proposing to expand programs that help preserve existing affordable housing and assist tenants and homeowners threatened by displacement and predatory practices?
Sarit Platkin
0:54:58
Thank you for that question council member.
0:55:01
This has been a primary focus of ours, not just through the planning process but also of course now as we are developing strategies and commitments.
0:55:09
You may recall that during the planning process this was of course a key theme that we heard and also something that we had a dedicated public workshop on specifically around preservation anti displacement because we wanted to understand from AIM UP residents what the gaps were and what we should be focused on.
0:55:24
With all that feedback that we received, we've developed really kind of a multi pronged approach.
0:55:29
The first is locating the Partners in Preservation Program here which was launched in fall of twenty twenty four which is a program that funds local community based organizations to do community organizing, tenant organizing.
0:55:44
It does know your rights education as well as canvassing in the local community and also connects folks to legal services.
0:55:51
So that's a $3,000,000 commitment over the next three years.
0:55:53
We think that's our strongest tool to really kind of keep AIM UP residents in their homes.
0:55:59
Beyond that we of course have our you know education tools which we've discussed.
0:56:03
We have you know part series coming up and then another key piece is really legal services.
0:56:08
That's been a strong, we've heard a strong call from the community around that.
0:56:12
We're excited you know to share that the anti harassment tenant protection program has been restored and we're also looking at additional opportunities to site kind of more robust legal services in the area and exploring the feasibility of that right now.