Monday, April 20, 2026, 10 a.m. (New York City time), 250 Broadway - 8th Floor - Hearing Room 1
Committee: Committee on Immigration
The Committee on Housing and Buildings and the Committee on Immigration held a joint oversight hearing on tenant harassment against immigrant New Yorkers and the Certificate of No Harassship (CONH) program, including Intro 839 of 2026, which would make the CONH pilot permanent and expand its eligibility. Chairs Pierina Ana Sanchez and Elsie Encarnación opened with remarks describing documented cases of landlords threatening immigrant tenants with ICE and outlined the CONH program's structure and findings from its four-year report. Administration witnesses from HPD, MOIA, and DOB testified about enforcement mechanisms, interagency coordination under Executive Order 13, and recommendations for a permanent program. Council members questioned the administration on protocols for immigration-related harassment complaints, CONH application timelines, eligibility criteria, language access, and MOYA's tenant outreach capacity. Public testimony included legal services providers, tenant organizers, and individual immigrant tenants describing harassment experiences and urging the program's passage.
0:06 1 2 1 2 People
0:06 . Good morning. Welcome to
0:07 today's New York City Council
0:08 hearing on the committee of
0:10 immigration, along with
0:10 housing and buildings at this
0:11 time sounds, all devices. No 1
0:15 approach too today. Chair. You
0:23 begin
0:23 . I turn my mike on. Yes. Good
0:24 morning and welcome to the
0:26 April 20 joint oversight
0:26 hearing on the of the
0:27 committee on housing and
0:28 buildings and the committee on
0:30 immigration
0:31 . Today will will, we will be
0:32 looking closely at tenant
0:33 harassment against immigrant
0:35 New yorkers and the
0:36 certification of no harassment
0:37 program. We will also hear my
0:39 bill until hundred 39, which
0:41 would make the certificate of
0:42 no harassment program
0:43 permanent and expand its
0:44 ability to prevent tenant
0:45 harassment across New York
0:49 City. I am Council Member
0:49 bettina Sanchez share of the
0:50 committee on housing and
0:52 buildings co chairing today's
0:53 hearing with councilmember
0:54 Elsie and god first time I
0:57 five
0:58 . O yes, chair of the
0:59 committee on immigration on
1:00 behalf of the New York City
1:01 council. I'd like to welcome
1:03 all members of the public and
1:04 the administration have joine
1:05 dus today in person and
1:07 remotely in New York City. It
1:09 is unlawful for landlords to
1:10 retaliate against anyone
1:11 exercising their tenant rights
1:14 , for instance, when a tenant
1:15 is suffering from a rat
1:16 infestation in their apartment
1:17 and calls 311 to report it.
1:19 Their landlord cannot punish
1:20 them for doing so in fact, our
1:23 city's housing maintenance
1:23 code defines more than 2
1:25 0practices that constitute
1:28 harassment from threatening t
1:28 ouse force against a lawful
1:30 occupant to offering money in
1:31 exchange for vacating ones
1:33 unit to repeatedly
1:35 discontinuing essential
1:35 services like water or
1:37 electricity the protections we
1:38 have on the books are critical
1:40 to protecting vulnerable New
1:41 yorkers, especially as we
1:41 continue to face a housing
1:43 crisis with such a low vacancy
1:46 rate.
1:47 Today as the federal
1:47 government carries out a
1:48 program of mass deportation
1:50 and intimidation immigrant New
1:52 yorkers are particularly
1:52 vulnerable to threats of
1:54 retaliation they face
1:55 dangerous and unique forms of
1:57 harassment here in New York
1:58 City. We have unfortunately
2:00 seen a pattern of this mansion
2:03 . Mistreatment
2:04 . A landlord who threatened to
2:05 call ice on an undocumented
2:06 tenant senate, was fined
2:09 $17000 after sisi c h r human
2:11 rights commission initiated a
2:14 complaint. A queens and long
2:15 island based management
2:15 company agreed to pay $5500
2:18 0after state officials found
2:18 that the company posted a sign
2:21 in its lobby, encouraging
2:22 tenants to report immigrants
2:26 to federal authorities
2:26 recently created a style
2:29 warning video warning New
2:30 yorkers of immigrant
2:32 enforcement, potentially
2:32 posing as City housing
2:35 inspectors and tenants and
2:36 sunnyside, queens, reported
2:37 being harassed, intimidated
2:38 and even threatened with
2:41 deportation for requesting
2:45 basic repairs. It is real, I
2:45 tis important to remember that
2:47 for every documented case.
2:48 There are many more that go
2:50 unreported. The possibility of
2:51 interacting with federal
2:52 authorities, regardless of
2:53 one's legal status can upend
2:55 an immigrant's families life
2:57 the very risk of being
2:58 detained or deported can
3:00 deterrent an undocumented and
3:02 non citizen tenant from
3:03 reporting this unlawfu
3:05 lharassment in a City of 3
3:08 million immigrants were 60% of
3:09 household or home to at least
3:11 one immigrant and a
3:12 significant percentage of
3:14 undocumented persons it is our
3:16 sanctuary cities
3:17 responsibility to respond one
3:20 of the city's tools for
3:20 combating tenant harassment
3:22 with large is the certificate
3:23 of no harassment program, or.
3:25 Ceo and h, administered by
3:26 the department of housing
3:27 preservation and development
3:30 . The co and h program has a
3:31 simple premise
3:32 . New yorkers deserve to live
3:34 free of harassment and
3:35 building for harassment is
3:36 most likely should face
3:37 greater scrutiny from the cit
3:40 y
3:41 . Building on earlier programs
3:41 from the 1970s as we like to
3:43 do in the housing committee,
3:44 the building, the council
3:46 created the co and h program
3:48 through the ceo program
3:49 through local law, one of 20
3:52 18 and then extended it to
3:53 extended that pilot in 20 21
3:56 .the program works like this
3:58 first identifies buildings
3:59 where tenants are most likely
4:01 to face harassment based on
4:02 building distress indicators
4:04 changes in ownership and
4:05 findings of harassment in
4:08 housing court. Second, these
4:09 buildings are then aeddd t
4:09 othe certificate of no
4:11 harassment list,
4:11 and third when an owner of a
4:13 building on the cnn work such
4:17 as a full or partial
4:19 demolition change of use or a
4:21 significant alteration. They
4:22 must apply for a certificate
4:23 of no harassment program, a
4:25 certificate of no harassment.
4:26 Scuse me before receiving
4:28 approval to proceed with that
4:31 work
4:31 . Once a building owner
4:32 applies, initiates a thorough
4:34 investigation to determine if
4:35 tenants are being harassed
4:38 makes a determination tha
4:39 tharassment has occurred
4:40 , the owner is denied the
4:41 certificate and is unable t
4:43 oobtain their permits from the
4:44 department of buildings
4:47 .owners can wait five years t
4:47 oreapply, or they can enter
4:48 into a cure agreement. Um
4:51 which will we'll talk more
4:52 about during the cure in of 2
4:58 026 report covering the last
4:58 four years of my own age
5:00 really made several
5:02 encouraging findings.
5:03 Buildings in the second
5:04 o h. Nuncio buildings and more
5:10 than 15% of buildings that
5:12 requested ceo and h had their
5:14 certificate,
5:15 denied, indicating some
5:16 success that we are, in fact,
5:17 identifying the right
5:18 buildings where harassment is
5:21 occurring.
5:22 But in other respects the
5:22 program's success was limited
5:23 of the more than 150
5:25 0buildings on the phone
5:28 received only 30 applications
5:30 for a certificate of no
5:31 harassment over a four year
5:35 period
5:35 , just 2% of all covered
5:36 buildings in the council
5:38 district with the highest
5:39 share of covered buildings.
5:41 District 16. My neighbor t
5:42 othe south represented by al
5:44 tia steven's not one of those
5:46 80 buildings applied for a ceo
5:47 and h over the four year pilot
5:50 . These data points raised
5:50 questions about potential
5:53 unintended consequences of the
5:55 program and we should tal
5:56 kabout how to strengthen this
5:58 selection methodology with the
6:00 program set to expire in of
6:01 this year now is a pivotal
6:03 moment to assess the impact of
6:05 and h and incorporate changes
6:06 that will better deliver on
6:08 its promise to protect tenants
6:11 , that's why, and she hundred
6:11 39 would make the
6:13 certification o nof harassment
6:14 program permanent using a
6:16 rolling five year look back
6:17 and expand eligibility to
6:19 scrutinize and owners entire
6:21 portfolio. If the state or
6:22 relevant court has made a
6:23 finding of harassment in one
6:24 of their buildings. I look
6:27 forward to strengthening this
6:28 legislation after hearing from
6:29 the many stakeholders set t
6:30 otestify today during today's
6:31 hearing. We're eager to hea
6:33 rfrom the administration on its
6:35 strategies for combating
6:36 tenant harassment feedback on
6:37 the proposal legislation and
6:38 testimony from members of the
6:39 public who have taken time out
6:41 of their days to join us.
6:43 Before we begin. I'd like to
6:44 acknowledge the former City
6:47 Council Member brad lander and
6:48 members of the coalition
6:49 against tenant harassment,
6:50 which were integral t
6:50 oestablishing the 20 1820 21 in
6:54 h programs and that coalition
6:55 was led by.
6:56 I'd like to also thank the
6:58 housing and buildings
7:01 committee staff, legislative
7:01 council, austin malone
7:03 legislative council billy ex
7:04 senior policy analyst jose
7:06 conde policy analyst at
7:09 expense, sir finance analyst
7:09 carlon arango and data analyst
7:11 reese he thought that was
7:12 about to make her latina too.
7:14 Noah's last berg and mohammed
7:16 deeply as we do. Finally, I'd
7:18 like to think they take this
7:20 opportunity to thank my staff,
7:21 a chief of staff maria
7:23 villalobos, deputy chiefs ben
7:24 ratner and kim castellanos,
7:26 gerard hernandez, dylan campos
7:27 , maria jose maria's soda,
7:30 bania and arianna pro acevedo.
7:33 I'd like to also acknowledge
7:34 the members who our president
7:37 , councilmember Maloney,
7:37 avila's and Joseph. Oh, yes
7:41 .ok. And with that. I'd like t
7:42 oturn it over to my co chair
7:43 . A Council Member chair in
7:45 karma stone to deliver her
7:49 remarks. Thank you, general
7:50 Sanchez and good morning,
7:51 everybody. I am Council Member
7:53 incarnations deputy whip of
7:54 the New York City Council and
7:55 chair of the committee on
7:57 immigration. Thank you all for
7:59 being here.
7:59 Today as mentioned, we are
8:01 examining tenant harassment
8:03 against immigrants and this
8:04 certificate of no harassment
8:06 program. I really want to
8:07 thank the chair. Um Sanchez
8:09 for co chairing this hearing
8:12 and for her leadership on
8:12 these issues. I also want t
8:14 othank my colleagues, the
8:15 administration and members of
8:17 the public.
8:17 For joining us today. This
8:20 hearing will focus on the
8:23 harassment immigrant tenants
8:23 face and how City response
8:25 through it programs its
8:26 services. It's outreach for
8:29 many immigrant New yorkers
8:30 housing challenges are a daily
8:32 reality of the 3 million
8:34 immigrants in our City nearly
8:35 one in 10 lives an overcrowded
8:37 housing and nearly one in fou
8:40 ris rent burden.
8:41 Spending more than 30% of
8:42 the income on rent
8:44 . 16% Of low income first
8:46 generation immigrants live in
8:48 substandard conditions due t
8:49 othe landlord neglect
8:52 undocumented New yorkers are
8:54 especially vulnerable. They
8:55 are excluded from federal
8:56 housing assistance and
8:58 unemployment insurance and
9:00 many housing programs restrict
9:01 access based on immigration
9:03 status. This this leaves them
9:05 more exposed to landlord
9:08 .harassment advocates have also
9:09 raised concerns about how
9:10 federal immigration policies
9:11 are shaping tenant landlord
9:13 dynamics during the first
9:15 trump administration, for
9:16 example, this building in
9:17 queens that was discussed,
9:20 displayed the homeland
9:21 security investigations tip
9:23 line sign encouraging this
9:25 reports to federal authorities
9:26 and stop allegedly used the
9:29 threat of immigration
9:29 enforcement too. Intimidate.
9:31 Tenants. Today's similar
9:34 fears persist. I have spoke
9:35 nwith constituents in my own
9:35 district who endured unsafe
9:37 living conditions but hesitate
9:39 to report them out of fear of
9:40 being reported to ice no one
9:43 should feel unsafe in their
9:44 own home, especially in a
9:48 sanctuary City.
9:48 Recent federal proposals
9:49 risk making the situation even
9:51 worse, a proposed rule from
9:53 the department of housing and
9:54 urban development
9:55 . Would deny housing
9:56 assistance to mix status,
9:58 families reducing access t
9:59 oprograms like section eight
10:01 and housing if enacted, it
10:03 would increase housing
10:03 instability, overcrowding in
10:05 our shelters and homelessness,
10:07 while need this. The
10:09 separating.
10:10 Families. I was proud t
10:11 ojoin speaker man in opposing
10:12 this fool and urging its
10:16 withdraw, we should be
10:17 expanding access.
10:17 To safe, affordable housing
10:20 not restricting it in that
10:21 context today's hearing will
10:23 examine how the City supports
10:24 immigrant tenants facing
10:25 harassment and discrimination
10:28 at a time of hostile federal
10:29 policy. It is critical that we
10:32 continue advancing local
10:33 solutions and pushing for
10:35 broader protections so that
10:36 all families can access safe
10:37 and affordable housing. I also
10:40 want to thank the service for
10:41 writers who work tirelessly to
10:43 support our immigrant
10:44 communities and our committee
10:45 staff who made this hearing
10:48 possible senior legislative
10:49 council to kolkata senior
10:50 letter later policy analysts,
10:53 rebecca baria, principal
10:54 financial analyst na'vi baines
10:56 and assistant finance director
10:58 florentine kapoor. Finally, I
10:59 want to thank my team, my
11:00 deputy chief of staff
11:03 stephanie herrera and our
11:04 legislative director adam
11:05 newman, bernstein and
11:06 everybody working behind the
11:06 scenes to make sure they run,
11:08 including our sergeant at arm
11:09 s. Thank you so much I know.
11:11 Turn it, but the council
11:15 member Sanchez. Thank you so
11:16 much chair incarnation. And
11:16 with that, I turn it over to
11:18 our counsel to administer the
11:22 oath. Thank you. Ah, you're
11:23 here to testify on perhaps the
11:25 administration. Please raise
11:26 your right hand. Do you affirm
11:29 to tell the truth, the whole
11:30 truth and nothing but the
11:31 truth before this committee
11:32 and to respond honestly t
11:35 ocounsel questions.
11:35 Thank you. You begin when
11:39 you're ready. Good morning,
11:44 good morning, cheer. Sanche
11:44 z. Ah chair and carcinogen and
11:46 members of the committee on
11:48 housing and buildings and
11:49 members of the committees on
11:51 immigration. I'm anne marie
11:53 santiago, deputy commissioner
11:55 for the office of enforcement
11:55 and they put services at the
11:57 New York City department of
11:58 housing preservation
12:01 development. I am joined by my
12:02 colleagues, marty wife man,
12:03 assistant commissioner of
12:05 aare also joined the second row
12:13 here, uh, by loreena lucero,
12:15 deputy commissioner of
12:15 programs and policy, and derek
12:18 gomez, associate director of
12:19 programs from the mayor's
12:21 office of immigrant affairs.
12:22 In addition to salvatore
12:24 agostino, assistant
12:25 commissioner for strategic
12:26 enforcement from the
12:28 department of buildings for
12:31 questions. Thank you for the
12:31 opportunity to testify today
12:33 regarding intro 8 39 of 20 26
12:36 on the certificate of no