NHS Brooklyn | Newsletter | Summer 2023
Housing Resource Fair
Our Annual Housing Resource Fair took place on Saturday, June 10.
Offered in partnership with Flatbush Development Corporation and HPD and held at Lenox Road Baptist Church in East Flatbush, the Fair attracted hundreds of residents eager for information on resources for homeowners, home buyers, and tenants. Ten sessions included “First-Time Home Buyer Orientation,” “How to Apply for Affordable Housing,” and “Credit Improvement” as well as fire safety, estate planning, strategies to reduce household expenses, and more. The huge exhibit hall bustled with activity as attendees scooped up information and resources from over thirty partners, including government agencies, nonprofits, and businesses.
We thank Amalgamated Bank and Bank of America for sponsoring this year’s fair.
First Annual Women in Real Estate & Property Management Conference
There wasn’t an empty seat in the house at our first Annual Women in Real Estate and Property Management Conference, held at Medgar Evers College on April 28. The event was made possible thanks to a $1.9 million investment by JPMorgan Chase in our Affordable Property Management Program.
Read the full story here.
Cultivation Dinners
We held our first two Cultivation Dinners in June and July in Crown Heights and Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. What is a Cultivation Dinner? As our Board President, Serghio Adams, explains at the first dinner in the video above, a Cultivation Dinner is an opportunity for a small group of specially selected, like-minded individuals to meet in an intimate setting to discuss Brooklyn’s housing crisis and how we arrived at this point. It is also an opportunity for our guests to get to know the history, programs, and services of NHS Brooklyn; for us to become acquainted with our guests and their values; and to explore how we might work together to address the community’s pressing housing needs. If you receive an invitation to an upcoming Cultivation Dinner, we hope you will join us.
Affordable Property Management
Unique to NHS Brooklyn, our new Affordable Property Management Program is designed for owners of single homes and 1- to 4-unit residential buildings in Brooklyn. Features of the program include:
Managing the day-to-day and season-to-season property maintenance
Paying property expenses and seeking ways to reduce them
Tracking finances and paying bills to avoid unnecessary fees
Hiring, overseeing, and paying contractors
Keeping the property from deteriorating—in fact, preserving it to build intergenerational wealth, if that’s the owner’s plan—all without it costing a fortune
For properties with rental units: collecting rent, responding to calls 24/7, and staying on top of changes to landlord-tenant laws
The owner doesn’t need to live on the premises (or even in the state) and may own more than one property. The property itself may be a rental, but does not have to be, and can be vacant. Properties of 1 to 4 units plus commercial space are eligible.
Does this program sound like it would relieve some stress, give you more time, and provide peace of mind? Then contact us at 718-469-4670 x1207, email pm@nhsbrooklyn.org, or visit us at www.nhsbrooklyn.org/property-management-program. You may also join us at a monthly 1-hour webinar, held the third Thursday of the month. RSVP here and bring your questions!
Fire Safety Town Hall
In response to several local building and home fires, NHS Brooklyn held a Fire Safety Town Hall in East Flatbush on March 30.
Speakers included a firefighter from the FDNY Education Unit and representatives from the Red Cross, who also signed up attendees to receive and have installed free smoke alarms. New York City Emergency Management and Ready NY reps presented on the importance of having a plan for what to do in case of an emergency, assembling a go-bag of essential items and having it at the ready, and signing up for NotifyNYC, available in any of thirteen languages, to receive reliable information on developing and ongoing local emergencies. Rounding out the event, an insurance agent underscored the need for property insurance not just for homeowners but for renters, too. NYC Council Member Rita Joseph also addressed the group, urging the crowd to be in touch with her office for services and assistance.
Help for Homeowners
We’ve been hard at work all year bringing much-needed programs and services to homeowners across the borough. From flood insurance webinars for those living with a mile of water, to estate planning education, to foreclosure avoidance, our event offerings have been laser-focused on meeting the needs of local residents. In addition to webinars, we collaborated with NYC Council Members Charles Barron and Mercedes Narcisse on well-attended Property Tax & Water Bill Help Nights in their offices. Earlier this month, we partnered with elected officials and several organizations to hold a Homeowner Forum, consisting of short presentations, counseling, and resources focused on helping homeowners to address challenges.
Continuing our outreach in Canarsie, on Thursday, August 17, from 6:00 to 8:00pm at the office of NYC Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, we’ll again provide homeowner support to avoid foreclosure, address building violations, and other homeowner issues. Our partner, Access to Justice, will have pro-bono attorneys present to meet with homeowners in distress. To register, go here.
Photo: Program Director Angella Davidson presenting on foreclosure avoidance at the Canarsie Homeowners Forum
It's Hurricane Season. Extreme Heat, Rapid Rainfall, & Wildfire Smoke, too!
The Atlantic Hurricane Season began August 1. We encourage everyone living within a mile of a body of water (from Sea Gate to Canarsie, and Red Hook, too) to get flood insurance, have a go bag, and know their evacuation zone, so they understand their risk. If told to evacuate, do not wait. Get out! Learn more about flood insurance at our next 1-hour webinar on Wednesday, September 13, at 6pm.
Register here.
All NYC residents should sign up to receive emergency alerts about citywide and hyperlocal disasters and emergencies. Sign up at www.nyc.gov/notify to choose 5 locations you want alerts for—home, work, school, etc. Alerts are available in 13 languages.
Staff Updates
Program Director Angella Davidson Recognized
NHS Brooklyn Program Director Angella Davidson was honored at the Schneps Caribbean Life Impact Awards on March 30 for her work supporting homeowners in foreclosure and others threatened with losing their home. The annual Impact Awards recognize the achievements and contributions of outstanding individuals born in the Caribbean or of Caribbean background who have created the most impact in their respective career fields — from healthcare, the arts, to advocacy, entrepreneurship, and much more. Ms. Davidson originally hails from Jamaica.
New Faces at NHS Brooklyn
Please join us in welcoming our newest staff members!
(From left to right)
Dionne Christopher
Director of Property Management
Gary Jimenez
Program Assistant, Homeownership Program
Bridgette Jankie
Executive Assistant to the CEO
Upcoming Events
Click HERE to register for the events below
∎ For Homeowners ∎ For Tenants ∎ For Home Buyers
∎ Rental Assistance & New Laws Affecting Tenants
Thursday, September 7
6:00pm – 7:30pm
∎ First-Time Homebuyer Orientation
Tuesday, September 12
6:00pm – 7:30pm
OR
Tuesday, September 26
12:00pm – 1:30pm
∎ ∎ Landlord Training
$100 for Future Landlords
$90 for Current Landlords
Tuesday, September 12
3:00pm – 5:00pm
OR
Tuesday, September 26
6:00pm – 8:00pm
∎ ∎ ∎ Flood Insurance: Who Needs It is Changing
Wednesday, September 13
6:00pm – 7:30pm
∎ Renter's Insurance: Cost, Coverage & Why You Need It
Thursday, September 14
6:00pm – 7:00pm
∎ Home Insurance: Know What It Buys, Don't Overpay!
Tuesday, September 19
3:00pm – 4:30pm
OR
Wednesday, September 27
6:00pm – 7:30pm
∎ Getting Your Home Ready for Winter
Wednesday, September 20
6:00pm – 7:30pm
∎ Affordable Property Management Program Overview
Thursday, September 21
6:00pm – 7:00pm
∎ ∎ ∎ Financial Coaching & Credit Improvement
Thursday, September 28
6:00pm – 7:30pm
Date passed? Click HERE for the updated list of Upcoming Events.
Who We Are
NHS Brooklyn is one of Brooklyn’s leading housing organizations, serving low- and moderate-income individuals, families, and communities through homeownership education, financing, and neighborhood revitalization.
What Can YOU Do To Help?
By supporting NHS Brooklyn, you’ll help spare your neighbors and their children the trauma of losing the family home or apartment at this crucial time in our lives.
Here are three easy ways to donate anytime. Choose the one that's best for you!
● Text NHS Brooklyn to 44-321 ● Visit our donation page ● Shop Amazon Smile with NHS Brooklyn set as your charity
However you decide to give, please accept our heartfelt thanks!
Contact Us
Website
Phone
(718) 469-4679
Offices
Offices open Monday-Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm.
East Flatbush (Main Office)
2806 Church Avenue (between Nostrand and Rogers Avenues)
Brooklyn, NY 11226
Canarsie (Satellite Office)
9701 Avenue L (corner of Rockaway Parkway)
Brooklyn, NY 11236
© 2023 by Neighborhood Housing Services of Brooklyn