January 13, 2025

New York, NY: The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) released an update on the City’s groundbreaking fair housing initiative—Where We Live NYC. Where We Live NYC is a fair housing plan, first released in 2020, which serves as a roadmap to advance fair housing and promote equity. The Where We Live NYC progress report provides status updates on the six goals, 19 strategies and 81 commitments made in the original Where We Live NYC report. The full progress report can be read here.  

HPD Commissioner Adolfo Carrion Jr. released the following statement on the Where We Live NYC progress report:   

"This Where We Live NYC progress report matters because it reflects the heart of our mission—making sure every New Yorker has a fair shot at safe, affordable housing. What’s more, we didn’t create this plan alone, it reflects extensive public engagement and a commitment to transparency."  

"It's about breaking down barriers and building communities where everyone can thrive. As of today, we’ve completed half of the commitments set out in 2020 and work is underway on over 90% – that’s not to say our work is anywhere near done, but we are delivering on the promise of creating a more equitable city. We're proud of the progress we've made, but we know there's more work to do—and we're ready for it.   

“While the road ahead may be difficult, we will never walk away from our responsibilities. Together, we will build a New York City where everyone has the opportunity to thrive in a safe, welcoming home in whichever neighborhood they choose.”   

Where We Live NYC Background   

Where We Live NYC is the City of New York’s comprehensive fair housing initiative, launched in 2020 to confront systemic inequities and create more integrated, inclusive, and equitable neighborhoods. Rooted in collaboration with residents and community leaders, this initiative takes bold, transformative action to break down barriers to opportunity. It prioritizes combating discrimination, preventing displacement, and expanding affordable housing while promoting accessibility and independence for people with disabilities.   

Where We Live NYC is a framework for making targeted investments that foster fairness and opportunity in every neighborhood. The goals of Where We Live NYC are to:  

• Combat Persistent Housing Discrimination 
• Facilitate Equitable Housing Development  
• Preserve Affordable Housing and Prevent Displacement  
• Make Using Rental Assistance Easier  
• Create More Independent Living Options for People with Disabilities  
• Make Investments to Address Neighborhood-base Legacies of Discrimination, Segregation and Concentrated Poverty   

Please see the 2020 Where We Live NYC report here. 

Key Findings and Achievements in the Progress Report   

The progress report comes at a critical time,.The federal government has not provided guidance to cities and states about their obligations under the Fair Housing Act. Yet New York City has only deepened its commitment to affirmatively further fair housing. The progress report reaffirms the City's commitment to advancing these types of fair housing opportunities and building a more equitable city, highlighting the progress made in addressing housing discrimination, combating segregation, and expanding access to affordable housing across all five boroughs.  

The 2024 progress report underscores the City’s ongoing efforts to address historic inequities and highlights several major achievements: 

• The Homeowner Help Desk expanded citywide to assist 25,000 low-income homeowners at risk of displacement. offering one-on-one financial and legal counseling to address deed theft, scams, foreclosure prevention and maintenance issues.     
• Recently, we passed the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, tackling exclusionary zoning throughout the city and expanding housing opportunities in low density areas – in the next 15 years, an additional 80,000 new homes will be built.  
• The new Affordable Neighborhoods for New Yorkers tax incentive (485-x), which the New York State legislature passed in April 2024, will incentivize the inclusion of permanently affordable and rent-stabilized housing in some of the city’s highest-cost neighborhoods. 
• NYCHA is on track to bring comprehensive apartment repairs and building upgrades, as well as enhanced property management and social services, to more than 142,000 residents. 
• HPD and the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) are working together to develop a set of housing, infrastructure, and quality of life investments to address longstanding flooding and environmental justice concerns in the Jewel Streets.   

These accomplishments build a strong foundation for the future as we continue working with public, private, and non-profit partners to create a city where all residents can live, work, and thrive.   

Next Steps for Where We Live NYC 

In 2025, we will be releasing an updated fair housing plan and partnering with stakeholders as we review our progress, assess ongoing challenges, and work to strengthen our fair housing efforts. We will hold public workshops in winter and spring 2025, release a draft plan in summer 2025, and a final plan in the fall 2025.   

Stay tuned here for updates and reach out with questions or subscribe to our email list at wherewelivenyc2025@hpd.nyc.gov.   

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The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) is the nation’s largest municipal housing agency, responsible for building and preserving affordable housing, partnering with communities to create housing in more equitable, diverse, and livable neighborhoods, as well as enforcing the housing and maintenance code across all five boroughs.  

From responding to over 600,000 housing complaints, to financing nearly 15,000 new affordable homes, preserving more than 10,000 existing affordable homes designed to meet HPD’s ambitious goals for health, sustainability and resiliency while connecting more than 25,000 New Yorkers with affordable housing, HPD’s work touches every corner of the city’s housing landscape.   

Stay up to date by following @NYCHousing on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and visit nyc.gov/hpd for more information.