On the Ground and In Real Time: How PEU's Tenant Support Unit Empowered New Yorkers at the Rental Ripoff Hearings

Protecting tenant rights is a core mayoral initiative, and the Rental Ripoff Hearings provided a crucial platform for residents to voice concerns and navigate housing issues. As a trusted resource since its inception, the Public Engagement Unit's (PEU) Tenant Support Unit (TSU) played a vital role on the ground during these sessions.

A dedicated team of 10 TSU staffers alternated between meetings to provide direct, one-to-one support. They educated 111 tenants on their rights, offered guidance on complex housing issues, and seamlessly connected them to city resources. The hearings also fostered an incredible collaborative space where TSU worked directly with other city agencies in real time to break down bureaucratic barriers.

"The hearings were a great space for all tenant agencies to come together right there on the ground," says Jasmin Batista of the Tenant Support Unit. "Working with other agencies in real time allowed us to immediately connect tenants to the answers and assistance they needed, breaking down barriers to resolve their issues on the spot."

For cases requiring deeper support, TSU conducted intakes and opened 29 new cases for ongoing case management, committing to follow up with every tenant met. An additional outcome: the team used the hearings to identify emerging housing trends to drive proactive outreach. Leveraging data from these conversations, TSU Outreach is now launching a targeted canvass of approximately 10 buildings flagged by residents for landlord or maintenance concerns, transitioning directly from hearings to localized action.