Better Housing
For Low-Income New Yorkers
The Community Service Society (CSS) seeks to improve housing conditions
and opportunities for low income New Yorkers. Our housing policy
work aims at strengthening government policies and promoting effective
grass-roots involvement in policy decisions.
Financial Workshops for "Windows of Hope"
clients
Photo by Mike Relph
Our major activities include:
- policy research, analysis, and reporting on key issues,
- policy advocacy at local, state, and federal levels,
- coalition-building and participation
- training and technical assistance to resident and community
organizations.
CSS housing policy work now focuses on:
- Preservation and expansion of federally assisted housing programs,
including public housing, private HUD-subsidized housing, and
Section 8 vouchers.
- Opportunities to increase the commitment of public and private
resources to develop or preserve housing for low income New Yorkers.
Examples include recommitment of Battery Park City excess revenues
to affordable housing, the passage of the National Housing Trust
Fund proposal.
Housing and the Poor in NYC
CSS issues periodic reports on changing housing conditions among
low income New Yorkers. The annual CSS survey, The Unheard Third,
also makes it possible to track housing hardships and concerns across
a range of income groups.
Public Housing
Public housing is NYC’s prime low-income housing resource,
182,000 units in over 340 developments. Changing federal and local
policies affect how public housing serves its current residents
and offers opportunities to other low income New Yorkers. CSS helped
form and, since 1996,continues to provide technical assistance to
the NYC Public Housing Resident Alliance –a citywide resident
organization seeking to strengthen the resident voice in decisions
about public housing. CSS provides ongoing analysis and reports
on current policy issues. It works for repeal of the “community
service requirement” which, under the 1998 Housing Act, requires
adult public housing residents to “volunteer” 8 hours
monthly or face eviction of the household.
Private HUD-Subsidized Housing
In 1990, CSS developed a directory of NYC’s privately owned,
HUD-subsidized developments subsidized by HUD, totaling about 100,000
units in 500 developments. This housing, along with Mitchell-Lama
rentals, are at growing risk of owner opt-out and conversion, HUD
foreclosure, and the expiration of project-based subsidies. CSS
research monitors the status of these housing resources, and periodically
assesses losses in order to advocate for stronger local and federal
preservation initiatives.
Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers
Federal housing vouchers provide rent assistance to enable low
income households to afford decent housing in the private rental
market. Tenants contribute 30 percent of household income to rent,
the voucher covers the rest up to the HUD-set “fair market
rent”. About 115,000 NYC households currently use vouchers.
But several recent federal proposals threaten to reduce funding
and oversight. CSS reports on the impact of federal proposals on
NYC and advocates for expansion of Section 8 voucher assistance.
For housing policy information, reports, and testimony,
contact Victor Bach, Senior Housing Policy Analyst, (212) 614-5492.
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