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Q&A
Commissioner details staffing changes and temporary hires to address rent increase backlog
1:21:27
·
4 min
Acting Commissioner Tigani explains the staffing changes and temporary hires made to address the backlog in rent increase processing.
- Funding returned to the agency at the end of 2023, allowing for staff rebuilding
- Temporary staff hired to deal with the spike in rent increase requests
- Backlog reduced from two years to six months
- Challenges remain due to continued spikes in requests
- Section 610 program paused due to federal funding conditions
Ahmed Tigani
1:21:27
We wanted to see if we can get more dollars for operating costs that continue to increase inside buildings Under the payment standard and the available federal rent costs that we had, rent money that we had, that would not affect how much a tenant would pay.
1:21:47
So the tenant would be held harmless.
1:21:48
We would use the federal funds to increase how much money went to the owners.
1:21:52
That resulted both the uptick in sort of property managers and building owners starting to do things that they weren't doing during COVID like requesting increases and the availability of this new program led to like a huge spike in increases at the time that we were still not fully funded.
1:22:13
At the end of twenty twenty three, we started to see funding return to the agency in our ability to staff up more regularly.
1:22:24
We were able to not only partially rebuild the team, but we also put our own funds to hire temporary staff about, now we're up to 10.
1:22:33
It was eight at that point, but now 10 staff members to help deal with the spike.
1:22:37
At that point in time we were two years, we had two year backlog in rent increases because the spike came so tremendous.
1:22:44
And then when Section 610 became, as Section 610 became more recognized or known by the community, more people who had not come to us for years started to come in with a lot of rent increases.
1:22:56
I'm very proud to say and a huge thank you goes to the team, everyone from the front end to the leadership in Housing Access and Stability.
1:23:06
We went from two years to six years.
1:23:08
Six months.
1:23:10
Bad.
1:23:11
Two years to a six month backlog.
1:23:13
That being said, we have had a little difficulty coming over the six month piece because we have seen even higher spikes than we expected.
1:23:23
So for every time that we try to get more resources and anticipate how to beat the curve there may be a spike that comes up.
1:23:33
It happened in the fall of last year.
1:23:35
It actually happened again in the spring of this year.
1:23:37
So we're actually talking internally now to see how we can control that curve moving forward.
1:23:43
Unfortunately because of the federal funding condition programs like Section six ten are on pause until we realize how much additional funding that we have.
1:23:51
We have to make sure we have the funding that we need to pay the payment standard.
1:23:56
And then we can start looking at other ways to bring operating funds into buildings.
1:24:01
But buildings who were first able to get the regulatory adjustment that allowed them to ask for the six ten increase.
1:24:08
Those increases are submitted.
1:24:10
We're going to continue to pay that.
1:24:11
And we're going to work through the backlog.
1:24:13
So we're using both the staffing piece to help, but then also the education as you pointed out.
1:24:18
So at the beginning of this year, or yes I think it was this year, because 06/10 and rent increases are something that not only happens at HPD, it happens at NYCHA, it happens at the state housing agency, DSS with City of HAPS, we actually worked together using feedback because we met with property managers and owners who were seeing this issue.
1:24:42
You asked taking their frequently asked questions and developed a guide to walk through and educate people on all the different processes and how to request depending on which agency you talk to.
1:24:53
Additionally, we put together PDF presentations.
1:24:57
And to your point about the rent increase, there was some confusion about whether or not you still have to go through rent reasonableness or whether you can get the max of the payment standard regardless of rent reasonableness.
1:25:09
Those are questions that are dealt with in the primer that we created and the education we've done since.
1:25:15
And there will always I think as people continue to come who have maybe not known it or turnover and new staff on the outside that work with us, we'll continue to prioritize that education.
1:25:28
I can get into Arvern next time.