NYC Launches Tenant Protection Portal to Assist Renters During Pandemic

New York City has launched a tenant protection portal to assist residents who may be facing a housing crisis due to the ongoing pandemic.

Mayor Bill de Blasio made the announcement of the free one-stop resource portal that includes tools and legal assistance during his daily coronavirus briefing Tuesday.

"We are launching the first ever tenant protection portal. Now this is one-stop shopping," de Blasio said. "This is a place where you can go for free and get all the help you need to protect yourself. You can get a lot of information. You can get access to free legal services and you can get through to a real human being who will talk you through your options, your rights."

De Blasio said the portal was necessary given that the ongoing pandemic is not only a health crisis, but has contributed to an economic crisis as well.

"If the coronavirus crisis was just a health crisis that would be one thing, but we know it’s so much more and the economic crisis has had such a painful impact on so many New Yorkers," he said. "So many people without a livelihood. So many people who can't afford the basics anymore, so many people who can't keep a roof over their heads. We need to be there for them."

Those interested in obtaining help can visit nyc.gov/TenantResourcePortal or nyc.gov/PortalParaInquilinos for information in Spanish. New Yorkers can also call 311 at any time and simply say “tenant helpline.”