Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Patrick Spauster @patrickspauster.com · 6d

Pt 3 of my investigation into the PBRA program highlights how tenant issues don't reach the right authorities. When they do, agencies pass the buck on enforcing the rules.

The recertification, repairs, and accountability issues I highlight happen in PBRA all over the country.
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Patrick Spauster @patrickspauster.com · 6d

Welcome, fall! A record number of New Yorkers reported last year that they have no heat or hot water.

Starting Oct 1, landlords must keep apartments at least 62 degrees at night and 68 degrees during the day.

Here's how to get help if they're not. buff.ly/WUnE0mv

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Patrick Spauster @patrickspauster.com · 6d

Several buildings in the program have hundreds of open housing code violations. Advocates say that program administrators aren't monitoring conditions closely and that property management is incentivized to defer maintenance to reduce their bottom line.
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Patrick Spauster @patrickspauster.com · 6d

Tenant subsidies are tied to units, so they have nowhere to go when there is a repair issue or they need to move for another reason: like harassment or domestic violence.

Tenants say landlords retaliated when they spoke up about housing conditions.
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Patrick Spauster @patrickspauster.com · 6d

For months in '23-24, program administrators flagged Manhattan North Mgmt for failing to fix housing conditions that immediately threatened to resident health. HUD and HCR didn't do anything.

Repairs are a common problem in the PBRA program, as part 2 of my investigation shows ⤵

The Repairs Crisis in NYC’s Project Based Rental Assistance Program

Private managers of some federally subsidized housing projects in New York City are failing to remedy health and safety issues in their buildings. Many tenants are scared to speak up, afraid they'll…

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Patrick Spauster @patrickspauster.com · 9d

For those reading the tea leaves on housing policy, on MSNBC Mamdani, reflecting on Adams admin, says “city of yes was good and should be built on”

Also welcomed the containerization of trash (after dissing Cuomo)

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Patrick Spauster @patrickspauster.com · 9d

This is Part 1 of a 3 part series supported by The Fund for Investigative Journalism for @citylimitsnews.bsky.social

Stay tuned for more this week!

Read more about Tolentino's struggle to stay in his apartment.
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The Compliance Crisis in New York City’s Project-Based Rental Assistance Program

Private managers of federally subsidized housing projects in New York City are systematically failing to properly screen tenants in the program, resulting in rent miscalculations and eviction…

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Patrick Spauster @patrickspauster.com · 9d

PBRA is overseen by the feds (not NYCHA like other programs), and subcontracted to the state & local corps---who are often short staffed and hard to get in touch with. Tenants have little recourse when something goes wrong.

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Patrick Spauster @patrickspauster.com · 9d

While most managers pass their annual reviews, 95 percent fail the tenant screening audit.

Property mgmt failed to provide notice and reasonable accommodations for Jose' Tolentino's disability. He tried to resolve the issue, but mgmt terminated his subsidy and filed eviction.

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Patrick Spauster @patrickspauster.com · 9d

100K low income New Yorkers use the program to afford their rent. They are mostly Black and Latino and disproportionately elderly and disabled.

Conditions at the buildings vary, but tenant screening is a problem at almost all of them.
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Patrick Spauster @patrickspauster.com · 9d

I spent a year investigating Project Based Rental Assistance in NYC. I found widespread failures to screen tenants for subsidies, resulting in rent miscalculations and eviction filings. Private companies manage buildings and oversee the program. Tenants have little recourse.
buff.ly/1EqVBkv 🧵 ⤵️

The Compliance Crisis in New York City’s Project-Based Rental Assistance Program

Private managers of federally subsidized housing projects in New York City are systematically failing to properly screen tenants in the program, resulting in rent miscalculations and eviction…

citylimits.org

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Patrick Spauster @patrickspauster.com · 9d

September 2025
Wednesday
Lola Young
JID
Blood Orange
Obongjayar
The Streets
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September 2025 by Patrick Spauster on Apple Music

Playlist · 29 Songs

music.apple.com

Patrick Spauster @patrickspauster.com · 11d

I was on @thebrianlehrershow.bsky.social on @wnyc.org this morning talking about rent stabilization. You can listen the full show: open.spotify.com/episode/6CVt...

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Reposted by Patrick Spauster

City Limits News @citylimitsnews.bsky.social · 12d

Tune in this morning to WNYC's Brian Lehrer Show to hear City Limits' housing reporter @patrickspauster.com talk rent laws and the mayor's race! www.wnyc.org/story/30-iss...

30 Issues in 30 Days: Rent Regulation; Fighting Fascism With Education; Pain Management in Pregnancy | The Brian Lehrer Show | WNYC

30 Issues in 30 Days: Rent Regulation; Fighting Fascism With Education; Pain Management in Pregnancy

www.wnyc.org

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Reposted by Patrick Spauster

City Limits News @citylimitsnews.bsky.social · 12d

The City Council approved the lease Thursday of city land to build housing for the formerly incarcerated in the Bronx, over the objections of the local councilmember and City Hall.

via @patrickspauster.com: citylimits.org/council-appr...

Council Approves Just Home Project, But City Hall’s Objections Leave Future Unclear - City Limits

The Council approved the lease of city land to build housing for the formerly incarcerated in the Bronx, over the objections of the local councilmember and City Hall.

citylimits.org

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Patrick Spauster @patrickspauster.com · 12d

Council approved a plan for 58 units of supportive housing in the Bronx. It's the first time they've made a land use change over the objections of the home councilmember since 2021. But the Mayor has withheld support, leaving the projects future unclear. @citylimits.bsky.social buff.ly/w5HOCiK

Council Approves Just Home Project, But City Hall’s Objections Leave Future Unclear

The City Council approved the lease of city land to build housing for the formerly incarcerated in the Bronx, over the objections of the local councilmember and City Hall. It’s the first time the…

citylimits.org

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Patrick Spauster @patrickspauster.com · 14d

“This is the right project and the right location”

City Council is poised to vote against one of their own for the first time since 2021, as they clash w/ City Hall & advocates over ballot measures that would weaken their powers over housing development
@citylimitsnews.bsky.social

Housing For Formerly Incarcerated Could Test City Council’s ‘Member Deference’

After City Hall pulled its support for an East Bronx project to build supportive housing for seriously ill people leaving jail, City Council members are considering overruling one of their own. A…

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Reposted by Patrick Spauster

City Limits News @citylimitsnews.bsky.social · 14d

The City Council is expected to vote this week on a Bronx housing project for seriously ill people leaving jail. Should it pass, it'd be over the objections of the local Council rep—and City Hall, which recently pulled its support.

via @patrickspauster.com: citylimits.org/housing-for-...

Housing For Formerly Incarcerated Could Test City Council's 'Member Deference' - City Limits

After City Hall pulled its support for an East Bronx project, City Council members are considering overruling one of their own.

citylimits.org

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Patrick Spauster @patrickspauster.com · 16d

Fair housing enforcement doesn’t exist right now. Just in the lede: “In one email, a Trump appointee at the Department of Housing and Urban Development described decades of housing discrimination cases as “artificial, arbitrary and unnecessary.”” www.nytimes.com/2025/09/22/r...

Trump Appointees Roll Back Enforcement of Fair Housing Laws

www.nytimes.com

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Patrick Spauster @patrickspauster.com · 16d

“It’s a ‘function of necessity’ in response to the consolidation of rental housing by large landlords: ‘As the challenges facing tenants have grown more complex in an increasingly global housing market tenant organizing is itself becoming more sophisticated” www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Tenants Seek to Unionize One Private Equity Firm's Entire Housing Portfolio

By organizing renters across Capital Realty Group’s affordable housing complexes, the Tenant Union Federation hopes to bring sectoral bargaining to negotiations with large landlords.

www.bloomberg.com

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Patrick Spauster @patrickspauster.com · 19d

12 years ago, he was surveilled by the NYPD for being Muslim, “and 12 years later, I’m friends with a guy that’s gonna be the boss of the police department,” said @AsadFromNYC , who is confident @ZohranKMamdani will win. “Sometimes life can be cinema”
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Take a Walk With Asad From NYC

Asad Dandia, a community organizer, Muslim New Yorker, and urban history tour guide is a rising star with friends in high

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Reposted by Patrick Spauster

City Limits News @citylimitsnews.bsky.social · 19d

“As New Yorkers, we always want to go. We want to go from point A to point B and I get that the city is constantly on the move, but I invite you to stop and to just look.”

via @patrickspauster.com: citylimits.org/take-a-walk-...

Take a Walk With Asad From NYC - City Limits

Asad Dandia, a community organizer, Muslim New Yorker, and urban history tour guide is a rising star with friends in high places.

citylimits.org

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Patrick Spauster @patrickspauster.com · 20d

“Belonging is something that is often fought for, not something that is granted.”

I profiled @asadfromnyc a rising star who's preaching the importance of NYC history, influencing the mayoral race, and walking all over the city.

@citylimitsnews buff.ly/V2PWK94

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Patrick Spauster @patrickspauster.com · 26d

NYC's 'Right to Counsel' is more like a "goal": A new IBO report says just 30 percent of eligible tenants facing eviction get full representation in housing court. Funding for the program has plateaued as evictions rise and eligibility expands.

For @citylimitsnews.bsky.social

Fewer Eligible Tenants Get ‘Right to Counsel’ After Pandemic, Program Expansion: Report

As evictions spike, the Independent Budget Office highlights ongoing challenges in the city’s program to provide free legal representation to low-income tenants facing

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Patrick Spauster @patrickspauster.com · Sep 8

NINE law enforcement agencies in SIX New York counties — including Rensselaer and Nassau —have signed partnership agreements with ICE that let them screen people and execute warrants in jails in the past 8 months per @dparramejia @citylimitsnews

citylimits.org/local-police...

Local Police Agreements With ICE Have Exploded in New York—and Nationwide

Over the last eight months in New York State alone, local law enforcement agencies have signed nine partnership agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under the federal 287(g)…

citylimits.org