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HPD's process for tenant information and challenges in assisting displaced residents
1:28:47
ยท
165 sec
Council Member Sanchez inquires about HPD's process for obtaining tenant information after fires, their involvement in fires with vacate orders, and challenges in informing and assisting displaced residents. HPD representatives explain their procedures and limitations.
- HPD does not automatically request tenant information for all fires, only for larger ones or when households seek services
- HPD may not be present at every fire scene, especially for one and two-family home fires
- HPD issues vacate orders, which may occur days after the initial fire response
- The American Red Cross (ARC) responds to every fire and provides information to tenants about available services
- Council Member Sanchez expresses concern about the potential barriers for tenants in accessing information and services
Pierina Ana Sanchez
1:28:47
Thank you.
1:28:49
To follow-up on council member Aviles' question, HPD asked for tenant information from the landlord in larger fires.
1:28:55
Just want to make sure, I know you said you don't have that information today, just want to make sure that you provide us with what is that threshold, but a question, follow-up question is why not always ask for resident information?
Sharon Brown
1:29:09
Well
Young Ju Kim
1:29:12
the households would have to initiate that they want to register with HPD and request services.
1:29:19
In many cases some households are not seeking services from HPD.
1:29:25
So they would call, they would first receive assistance from the Red Cross and if they want to register with HPD they would call the hotline.
Pierina Ana Sanchez
1:29:32
But that's inconsistent.
1:29:34
That's saying that HPD is only going to speak with families who want services and yet you do request all information in cases of large fires.
1:29:44
That's inconsistent, so why don't we just always ask?
AnnMarie Santiago
1:29:47
I think in the larger fires it's really a matter of the practicality of coordinating everybody on the ground and getting the families to move through very quickly to know that they were residing at the building.
1:29:59
We don't have that kind of presence at every fire.
1:30:02
Okay.
Pierina Ana Sanchez
1:30:05
But you are present at every fire where there is a vacate issue?
AnnMarie Santiago
1:30:09
At the point we issue the vacate, but HPD doesn't respond to the fire.
1:30:13
So HPPD may be going to issue the vacate the next day or two days later.
1:30:20
We do not, we don't respond for example to one and two family home fires.
Pierina Ana Sanchez
1:30:24
First responders
AnnMarie Santiago
1:30:26
do.
1:30:26
For the most part.
Pierina Ana Sanchez
1:30:27
So why doesn't HPD ask for information for units where they've issued a vacate?
AnnMarie Santiago
1:30:33
I can go back and talk with our special enforcement unit about whether or not that that is the case.
1:30:38
It's not to my knowledge at this time.
Pierina Ana Sanchez
1:30:40
Okay.
1:30:43
I of course am getting at with this line of questioning that you should ask, You should be able to have this information in as least burdensome a way to tenants as possible because you know leaving it to residents who don't know what HPD is, don't know that you exist, don't know that ARC a possibility, don't know who issues what.
1:31:05
It's just another barrier to getting back on their feet after they've been displaced.
AnnMarie Santiago
1:31:10
Understood, and again ARC does respond to every fire, so they are leaving information for the tenant.
1:31:15
If the tenant isn't home when they go, they do leave a sticker to ask the tenant to contact them.
1:31:20
So at some point in the process, all tenants you know affected by these fires should be aware that ARC is front door really to the services that we provide.
Pierina Ana Sanchez
1:31:31
Got it.
1:31:32
Thank you.
1:31:33
Now a couple of numbers questions.