West Bronx Housing

West Bronx Housing and Neighborhood Resource Center (WBHNRC) provides technical assistance to owners and tenants in the north west quadrant of the Bronx. A small agency, dedicated to making change one tenant or owner at a time, WBHNRC views itself as neither pro-tenant or pro-owner, but rather as a problem-solver. The agency approaches each situation as unique and consciously tailors solutions to individual problems utilizing a wide menu of proven tactics and strategies, ranging from (and beginning with) a friendly phone call to court action.

Assistance to tenants includes: obtaining subsidies, repairs; resolution of rent disputes; counseling and eviction prevention. Eviction prevention may include obtaining rent grants and no- or low-interest loans; and advocacy at Housing Court and/or Public Assistance.

Assistance to owners includes up-to-date, plain language information about housing laws and regulations; loan packaging; budgeting, including the development of payment plans for back taxes, water bills, and mortgages; assistance with credit repair and refinancing; preparation of J-5's; assistance with tenant/owner relations; and preparation for and advocacy at housing court.

Additionally, WBHNRC has developed a curriculum to train clergy and community leaders (those who tenants and owners first turn to in times of crisis) to recognize the warning signs for predatory lending and foreclosure, and eviction. We also provide information and technical assistance to owners and tenants in preparing for and dealing with emergencies such as black-out, and natural disasters.

WBHNRC's most recent initiative is to provide technical assistance to immigrants needing to file applications with the Immigration Services. This initiative has allowed us to build trust with this growing segment of our community, as a result requests for assistance about housing issues have increased.