Blue graphic image reads 'P E U who! Staff Spotlight, Famina Perez,' with an orange circle and image of Famina looking over her shoulder with arms crossed and smiling. Two spotlights are shining in the bottom corners of the graphic.

Famina Perez: A Lifeline for New Yorkers Facing Housing Insecurity

Famina Perez knows what it means to be a New Yorker—resilient, passionate, and deeply committed to her community. Born and raised on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, Perez brings her local roots, passion for helping others, and a strong sense of purpose to her role with the New York City Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit (PEU), where she works as part of the Tenant Support Unit (TSU).

Every day, Perez is on the front lines of the city’s efforts to prevent evictions and keep vulnerable residents in their homes. As a member of the TSU, she helps New Yorkers navigate complex housing issues and connect with critical resources, including emergency rental assistance programs, legal services, and tenant protection programs. Her normal day involves reaching out to people, knocking on their doors in all the boroughs of NYC, or passing them in the street and providing them with a flyer to introduce them to the rent freeze program. Then she follows up with clients to ensure they submit their documents to the Department of Finance and keeps them updated throughout the application process.

The Tenant Support Unit was established to provide proactive, personalized support to tenants at risk of displacement. Through community outreach, case management, and partnerships with legal and social service organizations, the TSU plays a key role in the city’s broader strategy to address housing insecurity and inequality.

Perez’s work often involves going door-to-door with TSU colleagues in neighborhoods across the five boroughs, speaking with tenants about their options and ensuring they know where to turn for help. She meets people where they are—both literally and figuratively—bringing compassion and determination to every case she handles.

Famina Perez and her colleague on the Rent Freeze team sitting at a table outside with flyers, smiling, and assisting a New Yorker at a Benefits On Your Block resource fair.

Participating in this summer’s Benefits on Your Block Initiative was an extension of this everyday commitment, and led to directly impacting lives in real time through her knowledge and personal commitment to ensuring that all New Yorkers in need are taken care of.

“I participated in a Harlem Benefits on the Block event, and a woman I helped apply for the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) program was so thankful and happy that I walked her through the process and all the documents that were needed. She went back home, got all her documents, and I was able to submit all her documents right there on the spot to the Department of Finance. She was so happy and thankful with the way I took care of her and interacted with her, she asked to speak to my supervisor and the director of PEU to give me recognition. It is motivating and rewarding to me when I get feedback like that from my clients.”

Photo of Famina Perez and a New Yorker she helped, smiling together with arms over each other's shoulders. Famina is wearing a benefits on your block t-shirt and a denim jacket, and her client is wearing a straw hat and a black blouse.

In a city of more than 8 million people, where housing challenges are as diverse as its residents, Perez’s knowledge and community-first mindset make her an invaluable asset. She understands the struggles many New Yorkers face because she has witnessed them firsthand growing up in Manhattan’s Lower East Side and learning, from an early age, the importance of helping others. Her commitment goes beyond policy or paperwork—it's personal.

“What I love about my job is that it's rewarding to help make an impact or difference in someone else's life. I often share uplifting words with my clients and colleagues. Not everyone woke up today. Every day is another chance to find a solution to whatever it is that you're managing, too. Being happy is a choice. One small positive thought each morning can change your whole day.”

A photo of Famina Perez wearing a purple shirt, glasses on her head, and hoop earrings, smiling with her arm raised in playfulness outside of her office. She radiates the same joy and positivity she brings to her work every day.

As housing affordability continues to be a major issue in New York City, the work of team members like Famina becomes even more essential. She stands as a reminder that government service, when rooted in empathy and driven by purpose, can be a powerful force for good.