named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Mitchell-Lama Residents Coalition (MLRC)
Works to preserve and expand the Mitchell-Lama Housing Program by supporting tenants and advocating for policy reforms affecting current and former residents.
Organizing Tenant Associations
Provides technical assistance and support to tenants seeking to form or strengthen democratic tenant associations in regulated and subsidized housing buildings.
Protecting Subsidized Housing Campaign
Grassroots and policy advocacy initiative to defend federally subsidized housing from deregulation, budget cuts, and privatization.
Rent Justice Coalition (RJC)
Coalition effort to push the Rent Guidelines Board to implement equitable rent adjustments and advocate for a rent freeze on regulated apartments in New York City.
SCRIE and DRIE Reform Campaign
Advocates for expansion and reform of the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption and Disability Rent Increase Exemption programs, including raising income caps, simplifying access, and adjusting rent burdens for enrolled tenants.
activities · 2 groups
What they do
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Housing Policy Advocacy & Tenant Organizing 4 activities
- Advocacy to preserve rent-regulated and subsidized housingAdvocates to prevent the privatization of Mitchell-Lama and Project-Based Section 8 buildings and supports reforms to protect low-income seniors and disabled tenants through SCRIE/DRIE expansion and improved access. Led successful efforts to pass the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019 and the Good Cause Eviction Law.
- Campaign mobilization against harmful federal housing rulesMobilizes public opposition to HUD proposed rules that would impose work requirements, time limits, or forced family separation in housing assistance programs by organizing public comment campaigns and advocacy actions, citing success in 2019 when over 30,000 comments led to rule rescission.
- Grassroots organizing and policy advocacy for tenant rightsConducts grassroots organizing and policy advocacy to preserve affordable housing, expand tenant protections, and prevent displacement. Mobilizes tenants to testify and take action at Rent Guidelines Board hearings and engages in campaigns to influence state and local housing policy.
- Tenant education and leadership developmentProvides education, training, and organizing support to build tenant leaders and strengthen tenant associations in regulated, subsidized, and formerly subsidized housing across New York State. Offers guidance on forming and sustaining tenant associations and develops strategic alliances among them.
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Text Messaging Communication Services 1 activity
- Digital communications and action alerts for tenant engagementOperates email and text messaging lists to distribute updates, resources, and action alerts about tenant rights and ongoing campaigns, including political and donation-related messages to supporters.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$541K
Contributions & grants$541K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$496K
Program expenses77%
Admin / overhead14%
Fundraising9%
Salaries & benefits$356K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$500K
Cash$144K
Investments$0
Liabilities$47K
Net assets$453K
Liquid reserves3.5 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +21.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genesis Aquino | Executive Director | 32 | $88K |
board members · 10
- Charlotte Rodgers — Board Member
- Ellen Davidson — President
- Emily Goldstein — Board Member
- Eric Alugas — Vice President
- Jackie Peters — Secretary
- Joe Lamport — Board Member
- Katy Bordonaro — Treasurer
- Kelly Waering — Board Member
- Pablo Zevallos — Board Member
- Samathia Thompson — Board Member
relationships · 19
Who they work with
- Action Network Partner — Platform partner used to facilitate public comment submissions opposing HUD's proposed rule on mixed-status families.
- Housing Justice for All Coalition Coalition — Collaborated to win rent increase limits and lease renewal rights for market-rate tenants through the Good Cause Eviction Law.
- Legal Aid Society Partner — Board member Ellen Davidson, who is affiliated with the Legal Aid Society, serves as President of the Coalition Board.
- Mitchell-Lama Residents Coalition Partner — Board members Katy Bordonaro and Jackie Peters are affiliated with the Mitchell-Lama Residents Coalition.
- Mitchell-Lama Residents Coalition Partner — Works together to advocate for Mitchell-Lama tenants, including on rent exemption reform for seniors and people with disabilities.
- NLIHC Partner — Partner organization providing resource information on HUD's proposed rule affecting mixed-status families.
- National Alliance of HUD Tenants Partner — Worked with to protect and expand the rights of Project-Based Section 8 tenants.
- New York State Tenants & Neighbors Coalition Coalition — 501c4 affiliate organization focused on legislative campaigns to address loss of affordability
- Regulations.gov Partner — Official federal portal used to submit public comments opposing HUD's proposed work requirement rule.
- Rent Justice Coalition Partner — Collaborates to plan advocacy actions at Rent Guidelines Board hearings and votes.
- Rent Justice Coalition Partner — Collaborates with Tenants & Neighbors to advocate for a rent freeze and organize tenant testimony and actions.
- S1457A (Kavanagh) Partner — Legislative bill sponsor supported by Tenants & Neighbors for SCRIE/DRIE income cap reform
- S2451A (Kavanagh) Partner — Legislative bill sponsor supported by Tenants & Neighbors for rent affordability adjustment reform
- S2534 (Sanders) Partner — Legislative bill sponsor supported by Tenants & Neighbors for retroactive rent calculation reform
- S3563 (Cleare) Partner — Legislative bill sponsor supported by Tenants & Neighbors for expanded household definition in DRIE
- S4252 (Parker) Partner — Legislative bill sponsor supported by Tenants & Neighbors for continuity of SCRIE benefits after ineligibility
- S561 (Krueger) Partner — Legislative bill sponsor supported by Tenants & Neighbors for proactive tenant notification reform
- Tenants & Neighbors Network — Member-led organization operating as part of a broader tenant advocacy network in New York State.
- Tenants & Neighbors Network — Provides organizing support to tenant associations in subsidized and regulated housing.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Barrier Reduction to Expand Access to Rent Reliefmethodology: barrier_reductionBy simplifying program access and adjusting eligibility thresholds to reflect cost-of-living increases, more low-income tenants enroll in rent relief programs, because reducing administrative and economic barriers directly improves participation among vulnerable populations.
- Coalition-Based, Data-Informed Policy Advocacymethodology: coalition-based advocacyBy uniting legal, organizing, and tenant groups in coalition advocacy and using data-driven arguments, the organization influences rent and housing policy, because combined expertise and evidence-based messaging increase credibility and impact in rulemaking processes.
- Tenant-Led Organizing for Structural Changemethodology: grassroots_member_led_organizingBy building tenant associations, developing tenant leaders, and supporting democratic, member-led campaigns, the organization increases collective tenant power to achieve housing protections and structural reforms, because lived experience and grassroots mobilization create more effective and accountable advocacy than top-down approaches.