Affordable housing vacancies are at a historic low in New York. The demand for housing is outstripping supply, and rents and real estate prices are outpacing salary growth. The affordable housing crisis affects a wide range of New Yorkers who face many different challenges.
The nonprofits below take a variety of approaches to address New York’s housing crisis, from supporting alternative models like community land trusts and strengthening tenant rights to advocating for our unhoused neighbors. Consider giving to these organizations to help ensure all New Yorkers have access to safe and secure homes.
Increase and Preserve Housing Supply
Citizens Housing and Planning Council of New York conducts research on affordable housing and city planning issues, and advocates for practical policies that support neighborhoods’ most pressing needs. It has led research and advocacy on new housing solutions, including the conversion of basement apartments to safe, legal rental units.
Enterprise Community Partners works to increase the affordable housing supply, advance racial equity, and build resilience and upward mobility in communities. It has created or preserved more than 84,000 affordable homes across New York State. In addition to owning and operating affordable housing, it develops and administers programming, policy, and capacity-building support to community groups.
LONG ISLAND: Uniondale Community Land Trust acquires and retains land in a trust to create and keep affordable homes in the community. Community land trusts allow homeowners to lease land from and sell homes back to a community-operated trust, which can help low- to moderate-income households build wealth through home ownership, avoid displacement, and ward off gentrification. Uniondale Community Land Trust focuses on owner-occupied homes, including those left behind in the foreclosure crisis, turning vacancies into stable homeownership. Uniondale had the highest foreclosure rate in New York State after the 2008 recession.
Strengthen Tenant Rights and Resilience
Tenants & Neighbors is a nonprofit organization formed in 1993 to advocate against market-rate conversions of affordable housing in New York. It organizes tenants to advocate for increased affordability and timely repairs in federally subsidized and state-controlled housing; provides counseling on rent overcharges, repair issues, and succession rights in rent-stabilized housing; and advocates for expanded rental protections.
Unlock NYC builds technology tools that help tenants document and combat source-of-income discrimination and transition from homelessness to permanent housing. It offers direct services to help homeless voucher holders secure housing and develop leadership and advocacy skills. It also develops new technologies and conducts research to inform housing policy.
WESTCHESTER & NYC: The Bridge Fund of New York provides emergency financial assistance to low-income individuals and families in Westchester and New York City who are experiencing housing insecurity but may not qualify for government assistance. The Bridge Fund’s grants and interest-free loans with flexible repayment terms can help clients maintain their housing. It also offers job counseling and training to help clients stabilize their income and advance their careers, reducing their housing burden in the long term.
Support Unhoused Neighbors
Coordinated Behavioral Care provides coordinated care for individuals who have related physical health, mental health, substance use, and housing needs. The nonprofit conducts intensive outreach to adults experiencing homelessness, connects them to support services, and helps people quickly apply for and move from transitional shelters into supportive housing, reducing the risk that they will exit the shelter system without support.
Open Hearts Initiative formed in 2020 when a coalition of Upper West Siders came together to support shelter residents in their neighborhood. Today, the Initiative organizes hundreds of volunteers who advocate to increase affordable and supportive housing, including for formerly homeless New Yorkers, in their own backyards and in neighborhoods that have historically excluded these types of housing.
Point Source Youth is a national nonprofit that works to end youth homelessness through home-sharing programs, advocacy training for young people, housing counseling, and temporary rental assistance. Programs focus on young people who have been marginalized and disproportionately affected by homelessness, including young people of color and those who identify as LGBTQ+. It helped launch the city’s first direct cash transfer program for young people to help them remain stably housed.
VOCAL-NY is a statewide grassroots membership organization that builds power among low-income people affected by HIV/AIDS, drug use, incarceration, and homelessness. VOCAL-NY’s Homelessness Union is dedicated to ending homelessness by advocating for stronger rent laws, more affordable housing, access to services, rapid rehousing, and ending the criminalization of homelessness.
This list is not exhaustive. There are many incredible nonprofits helping make our region a better place for all; we seek to highlight a few that may not be on your radar. Please reach out to our philanthropic advising department at advising@thenytrust.org if you would like recommendations tailored to your charitable goals.
