irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $4.83MHOMEOWNER SERVICES: THE CENTER DEVELOPS AND IMPLEMENTS PROGRAMS THAT MEET CRITICAL HOMEOWNER NEEDS, INCLUDING FORECLOSURE PREVENTION ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE, STORM RECOVERY ASSISTANCE, RESILIENCY COUNSELING, HELP WITH REPAIRS, ADVICE ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY, AND MORE. THE CENTER ALSO COORDINATES AND FUNDS A NETWORK OF NONPROFIT COMMUNITY-BASED HOUSING COUNSELING AND LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT ACT AS A SAFETY NET FOR FAMILIES ACROSS NY STATE. WHEN NEEDED, THE CENTER ALSO PROVIDES DIRECT COUNSELING TO HOMEOWNERS TO FILL SERVICE GAPS.
- #2 $2.22MSYSTEMS CHANGE: THE CENTER EMPLOYS A CONTINUOUS CYCLE OF RESEARCH, ADVOCACY, THOUGHT LEADERSHIP, PILOT PROGRAMS AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO MAKE THE CASE FOR GOVERNMENTAL CHANGES, PROGRAMS AND INVESTMENTS THAT STABILIZE HOMEOWNERS AND EXPAND AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP. THE CENTER'S RESEARCH IS DRIVEN BY DATA AND BY EXPERIENCE ON THE GROUND WITH HOMEOWNERS, AND ANALYZES PAST AND CURRENT TRENDS TO SHED LIGHT ON BAD PRACTICES AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON BEST PRACTICES AND POLICIES. THESE EFFORTS ARE AIMED AT BOTH SUSTAINING THE CENTER AND ITS VISION, PROGRAMS AND INTERVENTIONS, AND AT BUILDING THE CAPACITY, STRENGTH AND ORGANIZATION OF THE FIELD.
named programs · 8 · from sources
What they call their work
Black Homeownership Project
Initiative focused on addressing systemic barriers to homeownership and wealth-building for Black families, including estate planning and heirs’ property resolution.
Distressed Mortgage Refinance Program (DMRP)
Provides refinancing options for homeowners with underwater or high-cost mortgages, reducing monthly payments and preventing foreclosure.
Equitable Reverse Mortgage Assistance (ERMA)
Program offering reverse mortgage counseling and financial assistance to older homeowners to prevent displacement and support aging in place.
FloodHelpNY.org
Digital platform providing flood risk assessments and resilience planning tools to homeowners in vulnerable coastal areas.
Heirs’ Property Assistance
Free legal and counseling support to families who have inherited property without a will, helping to clear titles and prevent partition sales or deed theft.
Homeowner Hub
Statewide call center offering free, multilingual support to homeowners facing foreclosure, scams, or repair challenges; connects callers to counseling and legal services.
Homeowner Protection Program (HOPP)
Statewide program providing foreclosure prevention counseling, legal services, and mortgage modification assistance to homeowners at risk of losing their homes.
New York State Mortgage Assistance Program (MAP)
Provides low-interest loans to homeowners at risk of foreclosure who are unable to access traditional financing, administered through the Center’s CDFI subsidiary Sustainable Neighborhoods.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Interest-Free Loan and Grant Support 4 activities
- Administering the NYS Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF)Administers the New York State Homeowner Assistance Fund, delivering approximately half a billion dollars in pandemic relief to over 17,000 New York homeowners at risk of default, foreclosure, and displacement.
- Direct lending through Sustainable Neighborhoods CDFILends approximately $7 million annually through its wholly-owned CDFI subsidiary, Sustainable Neighborhoods LLC, providing financial assistance to low- and moderate-income families and historically socially disadvantaged communities, with approximately $100 million in net assets as of December 2025.
- Funding low- and no-interest loans for heirs' property resolutionProvides low- and no-interest loans through its CDFI subsidiary, Sustainable Neighborhoods LLC, to help heirs resolve tangled title issues and consolidate partial ownership interests in inherited homes, with repaid funds recycled into a revolving loan fund. Assists with correcting legal documentation and offers multilingual educational materials on estate planning and heirs’ property.
- Rescuing homes from foreclosure via MAP+ programRescues 1,000 homes from foreclosure annually through the MAP+ program, which provides zero-interest, repayable loans to cover mortgage arrears, property taxes, water/sewer debt, and other housing costs, projecting $15 million in additional funds returned over the first 10 years from repayments.
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Housing Policy Advocacy & Tenant Organizing 2 activities
- Conducting research and advocacy for homeowner stabilizationConducts research, advocacy, thought leadership, pilot programs, and technical assistance to support governmental changes, programs, and investments that stabilize homeowners and expand affordable homeownership in New York State.
- Convening leaders on affordable homeownershipConvenes local, regional, and national leaders to discuss challenges facing homeowners and innovative approaches to strengthen affordable homeownership in New York City and beyond.
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Neighborhood Civic Engagement 2 activities
- Hosting citywide homeowner eventsHosted citywide “Rise Up, Stay Put” events that convened hundreds of homeowners, housing counselors, legal service providers, bank loan officers, and elected officials to address mortgage challenges and connect residents with resources.
- Supporting oversight of Downtown Jamaica rezoningSupports coordination across stakeholders, transparent public engagement, and tracking of Planning Oversight Agreement (POA) commitments through the Downtown Jamaica Oversight Task Force, conducting public education and cultivating community participation in the rezoning process.
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Disaster Relief and Recovery Services 1 activity
- Delivering storm recovery and resiliency programsDeveloped Floodhelpny.org and implemented a $7.5 million resiliency program for coastal communities; delivered flood vulnerability assessments and raised $1.3 million to support households affected by Hurricane Sandy, providing storm recovery assistance, repair help, and energy efficiency advice.
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Pro Bono Legal Representation and Support 1 activity
- Providing free estate planning and legal assistanceProvides free estate planning assistance to homeowners in New York State and connects them with free legal and housing counseling services to prevent displacement and resolve title issues.
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Urban Policy and Equity Research 1 activity
- Researching heirs' property and tangled title risksConducted research estimating over $400 million worth of New York City property is at risk due to heirs' property and tangled title issues, contributing to policy advocacy and program development.
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Uncategorized 9 activities
- Administering the Homeowner Protection Program (HOPP)Administers the Homeowner Protection Program in partnership with the NYS Office of the Attorney General, providing home saving services to nearly 20,000 New Yorkers annually, including foreclosure prevention and counseling.
- Advocating for the HOPP Codification BillIssued a joint statement with the Empire Justice Center in support of the passage of the HOPP Codification Bill to institutionalize homeowner protection programs in New York State.
- Distributing public education materialsProvides materials and information through its website and distributes multilingual educational resources on estate planning, heirs’ property, and homeowner rights in English, Arabic, Bengali, Simplified Chinese, Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian, Spanish, and Urdu.
- Funding and coordinating housing counseling networksFunds and coordinates a citywide and statewide network of nonprofit housing counseling and legal service providers, co-administering approximately $40 million annually in state funding and operating a statewide Homeowner Hub call center to fill service gaps.
- Launching research and awareness initiativesLaunched the Black Homeownership Project (BHP), scam prevention campaigns, and the FloodHelpNY digital platform in 2020 to raise awareness and secure resources for homeowner issues in New York City and State.
- Mapping displacement risk near transit projectsConducted an analysis mapping half-mile areas around proposed Interborough Express stations and identified four high-displacement-risk corridors: Roosevelt Ave, Grand Avenue, Atlantic Avenue/Broadway Junction, and Livonia Avenue.
- Negotiating complex foreclosure casesCreated a program to address complex foreclosure cases by engaging in direct negotiations with lenders on behalf of homeowners.
- Offering capacity-building tools for practitionersOffers a practitioner toolkit for attorneys and housing counselors working on estate planning and heirs’ property issues to improve service delivery across New York State.
- Operating the Homeowner Help DeskOperates a Homeowner Help Desk that provides direct support to homeowners at risk of displacement, offering foreclosure and scam prevention services, including assistance with deed theft or partition scams.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$46.04M
Contributions & grants$44.31M96%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$55K0%
Other revenue$1.67M
expenses
Total expenses$36.92M
Program expenses89%
Admin / overhead9%
Fundraising2%
Salaries & benefits$12.16M
Grants paid out$2.25M
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$125.38M
Cash$19.11M
Investments$0
Liabilities$17.53M
Net assets$107.86M
Liquid reserves6.2 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -80.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 7
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHRISTIE PEALE | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $260K |
| NATASHA N PALLAN | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER | 40 | $228K |
| JESSICA WELLS-HASAN | VP OF DEV. AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS | 40 | $210K |
| PAMELA BAILEY SAH | CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER | 40 | $198K |
| BRADEN Z LISTMANN | VP OF PROGRAM DELIVERY | 40 | $185K |
| SARAH A STEVENSON | DIRECTOR OF FINANCE | 40 | $174K |
| MIREILLE MARTINEAU | DIRECTOR, HAF | 40 | $174K |
board members · 16
- ADOLFO CARRIN JR — BOARD MEMBER
- BAABA HALM — BOARD MEMBER
- CATHLEEN MAHON — BOARD MEMBER
- COLVIN GRANNUM — TREASURER
- ERIC EDERLIN — BOARD MEMBER
- FREDERICK HARRIS — BOARD MEMBER
- GWEN ROBINSON — BOARD MEMBER
- HAKIM THOMPSON — BOARD MEMBER
- JOE WEISBORD — SECRETARY
- JONATHAN MINTZ — BOARD MEMBER
- LOUISE CARROLL — BOARD CHAIR
- MATHEW WAMBUA — BOARD MEMBER
- MERILYN ROVIRA — BOARD MEMBER
- SAM MARKS — BOARD MEMBER
- TANYA JOHNSON-BARNETT — BOARD MEMBER
- VALERIE WHITE — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 22
Who they work with
- Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn Government — Announced the creation of the Center in response to the subprime mortgage crisis.
- Deutsche Bank Funder — Supporter of the Heirs' Property Protection Program (HP3)
- Empire Justice Center Partner — Collaborates on housing policy advocacy, including joint public statements in support of legislative changes.
- Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery Government — Provided funding for flood vulnerability assessments delivered through the FloodHelpNY.org platform.
- HomeownerHelpNY.org Partner — Partners with HomeownerHelpNY.org to provide homeowner assistance services.
- JPMorgan Chase Funder — Funder supporting estate planning initiatives.
- M&T Bank Funder — Funder supporting estate planning initiatives.
- Mayor Michael Bloomberg Government — Announced the creation of the Center in response to the subprime mortgage crisis.
- NYS Homes & Community Renewal Partner — Partner in administering the New York State Homeowner Assistance Fund through the Center’s CDFI, Sustainable Neighborhoods LLC.
- NYS Office of the Attorney General Partner — Partner in administering the Homeowner Protection Program.
- New York Attorney General’s Office Partner — Partnered to launch the Homeowner Protection Program and raise awareness about foreclosure rescue scams.
- New York City Council Funder — Funder supporting estate planning initiatives.
- New York State Senate Government — Referenced in connection with legislative support for the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (S401).
- Office of the Attorney General (OAG) Partner — Provides programmatic and enforcement support for HOPP and MAP+ programs
- Sustainable Neighborhoods LLC Partner — Wholly-owned CDFI subsidiary conducting direct lending and financial assistance programs for LMI families and socially disadvantaged communities.
- U.S. Census Bureau Government — Relies on data from the U.S. Census Bureau for demographic and income statistics.
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Government — References HUD's definition of cost-burdened households in housing affordability analysis.
- Wells Fargo Foundation Funder — Lead and founding funder of the Heirs' Property Protection Program (HP3)
- communications@cnycn.org Partner — Contact point for reporting errors or inaccuracies on the website.
- community organizations Partner — Partners with the Center to deliver housing counseling and legal services through the HOPP network
- state agencies Partner — Collaborates with the Center to support HOPP and MAP+ through programmatic and administrative functions
- summit@cnycn.org Partner — Contact point for the Affordable Homeownership Summit, indicating internal coordination for event management.
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.
- Equity-Driven Homeownership Preservation through Policy and Coalition Advocacymethodology: anti-displacement_policy_protectionsBy advancing anti-displacement policies and community-led ownership models—such as right-to-purchase laws, community land trusts, and anti-speculation taxes—the organization protects vulnerable homeowners and expands affordable ownership because these tools prevent speculative displacement and ensure long-term affordability rooted in community control.
- Integrated Legal and Financial Support for Homeowner Stabilitymethodology: integrated_service_delivery_networkBy integrating estate planning legal assistance with financial counseling and lending services, the organization prevents intergenerational wealth loss and strengthens housing stability because coordinated support addresses both legal vulnerability (e.g., deed theft, partition sales) and financial risk (e.g., foreclosure).
- Revolving Loan Fund for Heirs' Propertymethodology: revolving_loan_fundBy using a revolving loan fund to resolve heirs' property and tangled title issues, the organization enables sustainable homeownership in underserved communities because repaid funds are recycled to expand long-term impact where conventional financing is unavailable.