Community Action Program

Neighbors Together’s Community Action Program engages our members in grassroots community organizing, leadership development, and policy and legislative advocacy. We center the voices and solutions of our members whose lived experiences give them the best understanding of what needs to be solved. We believe that people are the experts in their own lives. Since 2020, we have engaged over 1,200 members in community organizing and policy advocacy efforts.

Lunch

Served Monday-Friday, 12-2pm

Dinner

Served Monday-Thursday 4-6pm
Dinner meals to go provided during lunch service on Fridays

Source of Income Discrimination Bill Package

Intro 1210: Increases fines for violations of the New York City Commission on Human Rights orders

This bill will increase penalties for landlords and brokers who violate an order coming from the City Commission on Human Rights.

Intro 1211: Increases fines for discrimination in housing

Increases civil penalties for unlawful discriminatory practices, harassment, and violence.

Fines will increase to match the landlord’s portfolio size, so that there are real financial disincentives for discriminating.

Intro 1212: Bans credit checks and minimum income requirements for voucher holders

Bans credit history and minimum income requirements for voucher holders and anyone in their household.

This bill will help prevent a more subtle form of source of income discrimination, and will remove the systemic bias of credit history as a barrier for voucher holders.

Intro 1213: Adds SOI to the Certificate of No Harassment Program

SOI discrimination will be considered a form of harassment in the Certificate of No Harassment Program.

The Certificate of No Harassment Program prevents owners found guilty of harassment from obtaining any permits to alter or demolish the building, and potentially require the owner to construct a certain percentage of low income housing units to address the harassment finding.

Intro 1214: Publicly lists SOI discrimination findings

Landlords who discriminate against prospective or current tenants will have the findings of discrimination listed on a publicly available website.

This will help inform prospective and current tenants of the history of SOI discrimination so that they can make informed choices when searching for housing and are better prepared to document potential discrimination..

Intro 1215: Creates standards for transparency in tenant screening criteria

This bill will require notification in writing to all prospective tenants applying for an apartment, of the screening criteria that will be used to select a tenant.

When tenants are rejected from an apartment, the landlord must provide in writing, within 3 business days, the reasons that the tenant was not selected.

Our Campaigns

City Campaigns

VALUE in Housing (Voucher Advocates Lifting Up Equity in Housing)

The VALUE in Housing campaign was created by and for people with rental assistance vouchers. The two main goals of the campaign are to:

1) End Source of Income Discrimination. This is when a person is discriminated against based on the way they pay their rent
2) Improve Housing Vouchers to make them more effective tools for accessing housing.

Since its inception in 2019, VALUE in Housing has won a number of its platform priorities. We are currently focused on passing a bill package through the New York City Council that will create deterrences for source of income discrimination by hurting discriminators where it matters most – in their wallet.

Homes Can’t Wait

Homes Can’t Wait is a coalition of grassroots organizing groups organizing homeless and low-income New Yorkers, service providers, and nonprofit legal services organizations. The Coalition has fought for improvements to the CityFHEPS voucher since 2020 and continues to fight for improvements, and expansion of the voucher eligibility criteria. Neighbors Together is one of the founding organizations of Homes Can’t Wait.

State Campaigns

Housing Justice for All

Housing Justice for All is a statewide coalition of over 80 organizations from across New York State fighting to increase tenant protections and end homelessness. Housing Justice for All has fought for and won historic rights for tenants including: the 2019 Home Stability and Tenant Protection Act and the Good Cause law passed in 2024.

The current platform for Housing Justice for All includes:
1. Rental assistance for those who are currently homeless or at risk of eviction
2. Expanding rent stabilization across New York State
3. Reforming the rent guidelines board in New York City
4. Creating pathways to tenant ownership and control of their buildings through ownership
5. Creating the Social Housing Development Authority which would be responsible for creating permanently affordable and democratically controlled, non-commodified housing across New York State

Leadership Development Program

Prior Wins

VALUE in Housing

Increased the payment standard of the CityFHEPS rental assistance voucher from hundreds of dollars below fair market rent, up to 110% of the HUD Section 8 payment standards for fair market rent.
Won an increase in the income eligibility for CityFHEPS voucher holders so they don’t have to choose between a decent paying job or their housing.
Ensured that all CityFHEPS voucher holders receive know-your-rights information on source of income discrimination upon receipt of their CityFHEPS shopping letter.

Housing Justice for All

The Home Stability and Tenant Protection Act, passed in 2019, increased protections for rent-stabilized tenants and expanded rent stabilization to all of New York State. It also created protections for all tenants against exorbitant security deposits and burdensome fees.
Good Cause Eviction, passed in 2024, protects tenants living in unregulated (non rent-stabilized) apartments. The law provides protections against retaliatory evictions and unreasonable rent hikes, and requires landlords to renew leases or offer month-to-month leases unless there is “good cause” for non-renewal.
Housing Access Voucher Pilot Program, passed in 2025, creates the first statewide rental assistance voucher pilot. Beginning in 2026, the voucher will help homeless New Yorkers secure housing, and help families at risk of eviction.

Community Action Program

Building member power to lead the fight for a just New York

New resource: Housing Search Tips for Voucher Holders

New resource: Housing Search Tips for Voucher Holders

New resource: Housing Search Tips for Voucher Holders

New resource: Housing Search Tips for Voucher Holders