June 16, 2021

Media Contact:
hpdmedia@hpd.nyc.gov
housej@hpd.nyc.gov

After COVID-19 pause, outreach van is getting back on the road with a full calendar of events

City and community partners host COVID-19 Vaccine and Resource Fair, which pairs housing, health and legal services with free COVID-19 vaccines

NEW YORK, NY – The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) is kicking off its Outreach Van season with a full calendar of events across New York City neighborhoods. The van, expertly staffed by the Office of Enforcement and Neighborhood Services Outreach Unit, advises New Yorkers on their concerns about building maintenance and code enforcement issues, and provides support and information about HPD’s many other housing services. This season, the Outreach Van will focus on neighborhoods disproportionately affected by COVID-19, and collaborate with city-wide initiatives such as the COVID-19 Vaccine and Resource Fair in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn that will also feature a NYC Mobile Vaccine van offering free COVID-19 vaccines.

The COVID-19 Vaccine and Resource Fair will take place on Wednesday, June 23 from 11am – 7pm at 2094 Fulton Street, and provide New Yorkers with the opportunity to receive free COVID-19 vaccines, and speak to City representatives to get connected to housing, legal, and health services. The fair is organized by community-based organization, Neighbors Together, and a host of City agencies will be present: HPD, NYC Human Rights, NYC Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants, NYC Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit, and NYC Health and Hospitals.

“Through the HPD Outreach Van, we are taking our community engagement teams on the road to bring information and services directly to tenants and owners where they live,” said HPD Commissioner Louise Carroll. “I want to thank our tireless staff for their dedication to making sure New Yorkers can access the resources they need to ensure the quality and safety of their homes, and I encourage all New Yorkers to take advantage of these services when HPD is in your neighborhood.”

At every event, HPD’s Outreach Van is prepared to help New Yorkers:

• Learn about affordable housing opportunities and prepare to apply
• Understand their rights and responsibilities as a tenant or owner
• File complaints about housing code violations or landlord harassment
• Learn about financial assistance for property improvements and repairs
• Register their buildings as a property owner
• Learn how to remedy housing code violations on their properties

The van is also equipped with a printer, so staff can print applications and information for New Yorkers on the spot, as well as a full supply of up-to-date informational materials on housing resources and programs. Events are confirmed on a weekly basis, including the following upcoming events.

• Wednesday, June 16th, 10am – 2pm – Outreach in Crotona Crotona Park E & Southern Blvd, Bronx, NY 10460
• Thursday June 17th, 10am – 2pm – HPD Outreach in Bed-Stuy Myrtle Ave/Marcy Av, Brooklyn, NY 11206
• Friday, June 18th, 6pm – NYC Juneteenth Celebration St. Nicholas Park – James Baldwin Lawn
• Wednesday, June 23rd, 11am – 6pm – Vaccine and Resource Fair 2094 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11233

To keep up with HPD Outreach Van events, visit nyc.gov/hpdevents.

The van has been operating since 2018 when it was funded by the Bronx and Brooklyn Borough Presidents and has served more than 1000 New Yorkers. Last year, due to the pandemic, HPD’s outreach unit was not able to be out in the community, and many resource fairs were held virtually instead. Now that New Yorkers are getting vaccinated and COVID-19 positivity numbers are significantly down, the agency is eager to resume direct outreach in order to better serve city residents, and provide information about housing quality and safety as well as resources available to help address housing and economic issues exacerbated by the pandemic. One such resource is the new Homeowner Help Desk, a joint initiative between HPD, the Center for NYC Neighborhoods, the New York State Attorney General, Enterprise Community Partners, and several community based organizations that will equip homeowners at risk of displacement with the tools to avoid deed theft and scams. HPD’s outreach unit will also be focused on getting the word out to tenants and landlords about the recently announced Emergency Rental Assistance Program, administered by the State and made possible by critical federal funds distributed to the City and State, which opened for application this month.

Community organizations, council members, and any New Yorker can email hpdoutreach@hpd.nyc.gov if they would like to request the van visit their neighborhood. Learn more at nyc.gov/hpdoutreach.

To better meet New Yorkers where they live, work, go to school, and play, NYC has deployed temporary, roaming vaccination sites across the City. Appointments are not required, but you can book one at many of these sites in advance at vaccinefinder.nyc.gov or by calling 877-VAX-4NYC. See the upcoming schedule at nyc.gov/nycmobilevax.

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The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) is the nation's largest municipal housing preservation and development agency. Its mission is to promote quality housing and diverse, thriving neighborhoods for New Yorkers through loan and development programs for new affordable housing, preservation of the affordability of the existing housing stock, enforcement of housing quality standards, and educational programs for tenants and building owners. HPD is tasked advancing the goals of the City's housing plan – a critical pillar of YOUR Home NYC, Mayor de Blasio's comprehensive approach to helping New Yorkers get, afford, and keep housing in these challenging times. For full details visit http://www.nyc.gov/hpd and for regular updates on HPD news and services, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @NYCHousing.