NYC Mayors Public Engagement Unit 

PEU IN 2022

A YEAR IN REVIEW

Mayor Eric Adams giving a thumbs up with a group of CUNY interns, all wearing Mayors PEU tee-shirts.

CUNY interns alongside Mayor Eric Adams during the culmination of PEU’s Access to Care Week of Action, hosted with NYC CARE

About the Public Engagement Unit (PEU)

The NYC Public Engagement Unit (PEU) uses community organizing principles to re-envision how the city provides services to its most vulnerable communities. Rather than expecting constituents to navigate a complex city bureaucracy to get the help they need, PEU adopts grassroots tactics to meet residents where they are — at their doors and on their phones, in their social media feeds and in their communities. PEU combines this proactive outreach with comprehensive case management, and in doing so, builds long-term relationships between New Yorkers and their government.

TEAM WINS

As we begin a new year, we’re reflecting on everything we accomplished in 2022. Thank you to all our partners for the many meaningful collaborations that helped us find new creative ways to reach New Yorkers and help them access critical resources. Onward in 2023!

Watch our video highlighting PEU in 2022 and read about some of our key highlights below.

 

Rent Freeze Renewal Campaigns

PEU’s Rent Freeze team conducted outreach to older New Yorkers and New Yorkers with disabilities to help them freeze their rent or claim homeowner tax exemptions. This year, the Rent Freeze team held tabling events at libraries, and reached out to 16,000 New Yorkers via text messages, phone calls, and door-to-door knocking in advance of key application deadlines. PEU directly contacted those who were potentially eligible for housing benefits and those who were at risk of losing their Rent Freeze status. Together, we worked to ensure that eligible New Yorkers were able to renew, enroll, and re-enroll in Rent Freeze and housing tax credits to ultimately save thousands of dollars a year. Think you might qualify? The next enrollment deadline is March 15th. Don’t delay! The sooner you enroll, the more money you save, and we’re here to help. Learn about eligibility requirements for these programs by visiting PEU’s Tenant Support Unit website or by calling PEU’s Rent Freeze Hotline at 929-252-7242 to connect with a PEU Specialist.
Chris Wagner and Adrienne Lever sit next to an older adult wearing a hat while they smile at the camera and wear PEU mech

PEU’s Executive Director Adrienne Lever and Project Lead for the RF/ HTE team Chris Wagner at a Press Conference about Rent Freeze in Inwood

Working with Landlords to House NYC Families

Our Home Support Unit (HSU) has been working hard with landlords, brokers, and agency partners to connect voucher-holding families to their forever homes. This year, we worked in partnership with the NYC Department of Homeless Services (DHS), other providers of Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV), and our landlord and broker partners to organize over 3,500 apartment viewings and connect voucher recipients directly to their future homes. Learn more about leasing your apartment to voucher holders at nyc.gov/HSU.

Two PEU staff and two landlords speak to each other, their backs facing the camera. PEU staff wearing Home Support Unit T-shirts

Home Support Unit Specialists helped organize and attend apartment viewings, making it easier for both voucher recipients and landlords to navigate the rental process

Tenant Rights Canvass with Mayor Adams

Mayor Eric Adams hit the streets in the Bronx with our Tenant Support Unit, talking with NYC tenants about their rights and available resources. Watch a video of him talking about it here! Our Tenant Support Unit works tirelessly to assist clients with Rent Freeze applications, eviction cases, and repair issues, and screens New Yorkers for various benefits. Learn more about it at nyc.gov/TSU.
PEU staff and mayor Eric Adams ,who is wearing a white shirt that says mayor and a blue hat, stand outside an apartment door that is open.

PEU Specialists canvassing with Mayor Eric Adams

Health Care Week of Action

Over the summer, we hosted a Health Care Week of Action with our friends at NYC Health + Hospitals. The week of action concluded with an event at Elmhurst Hospital with Mayor Adams, which you can watch here. All New Yorkers deserve high-quality primary care, and GetCoveredNYC and NYC Care can help! GetCoveredNYC offers free assistance for New Yorkers seeking to enroll in health coverage and NYC Care is a health care access program that guarantees low-cost and no-cost services to New Yorkers who do not qualify for or cannot afford health insurance. Learn more at nyc.gov/GetCoveredNYC  or call 311 and say “GetCoveredNYC”.
Group of PEU and NYC Care staff holding up flyers about healthcare access and celebrating.

GetCoveredNYC Specialists with CUNY interns and NYC Health + Hospitals staff to spread the word about health insurance

Promoting Fair Fares

PEU staff, with the help of our CUNY Career Launch interns, conducted large-scale outreach about Fair Fares, a program that helps New Yorkers with low incomes better afford their transportation costs. Fair Fares provides a 50% discount on MetroCards—both pay-per-ride and weekly and monthly unlimited. PEU and the Department of Social Services (DSS) hosted a press conference in August to promote the reduced-fare MetroCard program. This event followed two weeks of targeted outreach to eligible New Yorkers via text and phone. For more information on eligibility and the application process, visit nyc.gov/FairFares.

A young woman wearing an NYC Mayor's Public Engagement tee-shirt smiles at the camera and holds up a metrocard

CUNY Intern at the Press Conference for Fair Fares

Contigo A Salvo con Univision

PEU partnered with Univision NY to host three outreach events at NYC pools and beaches to promote water safety, while helping sign people up for other City benefits. At the events, PEU staff and interns were on hand to talk about our programs and canvass in surrounding neighborhoods. Our partners at Univision New York promoted their "Contigo a Salvo" (Safe with You) campaign, an annual water safety initiative to protect children from drowning through parental education and providing ample resources. The events also featured tabling from City agencies including FDNY, NYC Parks, Small Business Services, and more, who added to the fun with giveaways, health and safety demonstrations, and additional resources. See our event and Executive Director featured on Univision!
A group of PEU interns all wearing NYC Mayor's Public Engagement tee-shirts and Univision staff holding 'Contigo A Salvo' signs pose together at the park .

CUNY interns with Univision staff at Highbridge Park in Washington Height for Contigo A Salvo

Free Tax Prep Outreach

PEU staff reached out to thousands of New Yorkers to help those with low incomes take advantage of valuable tax credits and free tax prep assistance. We conducted a peer-to-peer texting campaign, targeting people living in zip codes that have low tax filing rates. The team followed up over the phone with anyone who requested additional assistance scheduling an appointment with a certified preparer, and made sure people were aware of tax credits such as the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credits. Additionally, PEU in partnership with the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), and Small Business Services (SBS) hosted a series of community events to provide free tax prep information in person.

Group in front of the mobile unit smiling and waving at the camera.

Members of the PEU team set up in Brooklyn to share information with New Yorkers about tenant and employment resources and accessing free tax prep

 

Student Voter Registration

PEU hosted our annual Student Voter Registration Drive to help students across all 5 boroughs register to vote. PEU worked with the Department of Education (DOE) and the Civic Engagement Commission (CEC) to plan our annual Student Voter Registration Drive during Civics Week. PEU trained and deployed over 100 staff to register students to vote in classrooms. We’re proud to report that over 13,000 students register or pre-register to vote during civics week!

11 staff members wearing t-shirts that say NYC Mayor's Public Engagement Unit and DemocracyNYC.

PEU during Civics Week at a high school in New York City

 

Connecting College Students to Health Coverage

At the beginning of the Fall 2022 semester, GetCoveredNYC Specialists partnered with MetroPlus Health to connect college students with affordable health insurance options at college resource fairs. Special thanks to MetroPlus Health for hosting such fun and informative events across NYC!

New Yorkers can always reach out to GetCoveredNYC for help with health insurance! Learn more at nyc.gov/GetCoveredNYC
Table with flyers and markers. PEU staff sit at one side of the table while wearing masks and PEU tee shirts while students stand on the other side of the table. one PEU staff is handing a flyer to a student

GetCoveredNYC staff tabling at a college resource fair for NYC students

 

Emergency Response

PEU is always here to support NYC before, during, and after emergencies. With our innovative outreach tools and skills, our team is often uniquely positioned to jump into action. Whether we're helping to educate New Yorkers about flash flood preparedness, welcoming asylum seekers at Port Authority, or leading a cash distribution effort to those impacted by the tragic Bronx Twin Parks fire, we are proud to continue serving the New York community.

Three PEU staffers smiling, one holding up his arms with a symbol of the Bronx.

PEU staff at the office working on an emergency cash assistance distribution effort

 

Welcoming Asylum Seekers

For nearly 3 months in 2022, PEU staff was on the ground providing support at Port Authority Bus Terminal to give a warm welcome to asylum seekers coming in buses from Texas and Florida. Staff worked with agency partners to coordinate operations on the ground and make sure new arrivals were receiving the services they needed with the dignity that they deserve.   
PEU Staff at Port Authority, standing with MOIA Commissioner and Anderson Cooper.

Anderson Cooper joined PEU staff and NYC Immigrants at Port Authority, greeting asylum seekers to NYC and connecting them to resources

 

TWEET OF THE YEAR
Screenshot of tweet that reads Today is the #GetCoveredNYC Day of Action! Help us to spread the word to your friends, family, and neighbors that they can get help enrolling in health coverage. Post on social media using these resources today: https://on.nyc.gov/33ykKcF. Video is paused at section that reads GetCoveredNYC. Visit nyc.gov/getcoverednyc to be connected to a GetCoveredNYC Specialist.

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In the News
  • Univision: Ciudad de Nueva York ofrece recursos y estímulos para vivienda a adultos mayores December 13, 2022
  • Urdu News US: نیویارک سٹی کا کرائے کو منجمند کرنے اور گھر کے مالکان کے ٹیکس میں چھوٹ کا اہم پروگرام December 13, 2022
  • Harlem World Magazine: NYC Agencies Launch Program To Enroll Residents To Reduce Housing Costs December 13, 2022

RESOURCES & ANNOUNCEMENTS
  • Mental health counselors are available 24 hours a day to provide free support in many languages. You can contact them directly by calling 1-888-NYC-WELL (1-888-692-9355), Text WELL to 65173 or Chat nyc.gov/nycwell
  • If your apartment is rent stabilized, your rent can only be increased in compliance with the rent increases voted on each June by the NYC Rent Guidelines Board. This year’s rent changes are valid for rent-stabilized apartments with leases starting on or after October 1, 2022, through September 30, 2023. Call 311 and ask for the "Tenant Helpline" to connect to a Specialist to learn more about what this means for you!
  • NYC Fair Fares: Eligible New York City residents can get a 50% discount on eligible transportation. Help us to spread the word by sharing this HRA toolkit and check your eligibility at nyc.gov/fairfares or by calling 311.
  • The Affordable Connectivity Program is available to help you pay for broadband internet service! Qualifying individuals and families can receive up to $30 per month off their broadband costs. You can learn more about and sign up for the Affordable Connectivity Program here: GetInternet.gov.
  • There are more than 30 programs you or your family may be eligible for regardless of immigration status and even if you’re already receiving benefits or have a job. Use ACCESS NYC to find help in NYC with food, money, housing, work and more.
  • Walk-ins available for first and second doses of the monkeypox (MPV) vaccine
    • No appointment needed
    • Find a walk-in location: nyc.gov/vaccinefinder

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