Community Action Program

We know that we cannot end hunger and poverty without addressing their underlying systemic causes.

Neighbors Together’s Community Action Program engages our members in grassroots community organizing, leadership development, and policy and legislative advocacy. We center the voices and solutions of our members whose lived experiences give them the best understanding of what needs to be solved. We believe that people are the experts in their own lives. Since 2020, we have engaged over 1,200 members in community organizing and policy advocacy efforts.

Our Campaigns:

City Campaigns

VALUE in Housing (Voucher Advocates Lifting Up Equity in Housing)
  1. The VALUE in Housing campaign was created by and for people with rental assistance vouchers. The two main goals of the campaign are to: 1) End Source of Income Discrimination. This is when a person is discriminated against based on the way they pay their rent
  2. Improve Housing Vouchers to make them more effective tools for accessing housing.

  3. Since its inception in 2019, VALUE in Housing has won a number of its platform priorities. We are currently focused on passing a bill package through the New York City Council that will create deterrences for source of income discrimination by hurting discriminators where it matters most – in their wallet.

State Campaigns

Housing Justice for All

Housing Justice for All is a statewide coalition of over 80 organizations from across New York State fighting to increase tenant protections and end homelessness. Housing Justice for All has fought for and won historic rights for tenants including: the 2019 Home Stability and Tenant Protection Act and the Good Cause law passed in 2024.

The current platform for Housing Justice for All includes: 

  1. Rental assistance for those who are currently homeless or at risk of eviction
  2. Expanding rent stabilization across New York State 
  3. Reforming the rent guidelines board in New York City 
  4. Creating pathways to tenant ownership and control of their buildings through ownership
  5. Creating the Social Housing Development Authority which would be responsible for creating permanently affordable and democratically controlled, non-commodified housing across New York State
Homes Can’t Wait

Homes Can’t Wait is a coalition of grassroots organizing groups organizing homeless and low-income New Yorkers, service providers, and nonprofit legal services organizations. The Coalition has fought for improvements to the CityFHEPS voucher since 2020 and continues to fight for improvements, and expansion of the voucher eligibility criteria.  Neighbors Together is one of the founding organizations of Homes Can’t Wait.

Leadership Development Program

At Neighbors Together we prioritize leadership development. We help hone and grow our members’ skills and knowledge so that they can be the best possible advocates for themselves, their communities, and the policy changes that will improve their lives. 

Neighbors Together creates many informal leadership development opportunities through our campaigns, and we also run more formal leadership development programs, such as our two-part Leadership Devleopemtn Series and our Apprenticeship Program.  

Prior Wins

VALUE in Housing
  • Increased the payment standard of the CityFHEPS rental assistance voucher from hundreds of dollars below fair market rent, up to 110% of the HUD Section 8 payment standards for fair market rent. 
  • Won an increase in the income eligibility for CityFHEPS voucher holders so they don’t have to choose between a decent paying job or their housing.
  • Ensured that all CityFHEPS voucher holders receive know-your-rights information on source of income discrimination upon receipt of their CityFHEPS shopping letter.
  • Won a budget increase for the City Commission on Human Rights’ Source of Income Unit, allowing them to increase their staff by 17 new hires.