JustFix.nyc is a non-profit that supports renters facing evictions and neglected housing conditions with technology that helps them build well-documented cases and connect with community and legal advocates. This project will expand JustFix.nyc city-wide in New York and empower 1,000 tenants to stay in their homes and secure much-needed repairs.
1.2 million New Yorkers live in "deficient" housing with 3 or more violations present and unaddressed. These issues have massive implications - poor housing quality is one of the strongest predictors of emotional and behavioral problems in children and youth. 90% of tenants go to Housing Court unrepresented, while 90% of landlords are. Tenants are backed into exploitative situations because they don't know their rights or are unable to easily provide the evidence they need for a strong case.
JustFix.nyc supports tenants in neglected housing situations with a mobile app that assists tenants in gathering evidence, mediating with their landlord through templated communications, reporting violations to city agencies, connecting with organizers and attorneys, and presenting a "case history" in housing court. We work with neighborhood based tenant organizing groups and major legal service orgs in order to design and distribute our services to those who need it most.
So far our results have been outstanding: Over 70% of users receive positive resolutions (secured repairs and prevented evictions) just through use of the JustFix.nyc site -- compared to a status quo of only 10% of tenants without legal representation receiving positive resolutions. We want to deliver these outcomes to the 1.2 million New Yorkers currently suffering.
