Tenant Harassment Prevention Task Force

The Tenant Harassment Prevention Task Force (THPT) was created to investigate and bring enforcement actions - including criminal charges - against landlords who harass tenants by creating unsafe living conditions through illegal construction. The THPT primarily handles matters that impact a large number of rent regulated tenants where actions by an owner may rise to criminality.

How the THPT Works

The Task Force is a collaboration of the Office of the NYS Attorney General, the NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR), and City agencies, including the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, NYC Department of Buildings, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the New York City Law Department, among others. The TPHT aims to coordinate City and State agencies for joint inspections, enforcement actions, and litigation strategies to intervene in buildings where harassment may be occurring in order to prevent tenants from being forced out. 

The THPT will look at complaints filed with City agencies about conditions constituting harassment, among other data. Therefore, it is important that you use 311 and other regular channels to file complaints with City and State agencies about conditions in your building. As needed, the THPT may conduct joint inspections, issue violations and orders, and initiate additional enforcement action with the Attorney General’s office, the District Attorney’s office, and the HCR's Tenant Protection Unit.

How to File a Complaint

You can file a complaint directly with the THPT by sending an email to  AHU@HPD.NYC.GOV Again, be reminded that the THPT focuses on rent regulated buildings (you can obtain information about whether your building is rent-regulated by contacting HCR at the numbers provided below). Due to the large volume of correspondence that the THPT receives, we are not able to respond to every inquiry. If we are able to further investigate your inquiry, we will contact you via email or phone for additional information.

If you live in a rent-controlled or rent-stabilized apartment, you can get more information about tenant harassment on DHCR's website or by calling 1-866-ASK-DHCR (1-866-275-3427) or 718-739-6400. New York State Attorney General also has an information and complaint line: 1-800-771-7755.