Celia Young

3 days ago | brickunderground.com | Celia Young

Roommates + Landlords By Celia Young  | Home 4 Good also offers financial counseling to tenants. iStockBrooklyn native Shaisha fell thousands of dollars behind on her rent last year after she was forced to make a tough choice: paying rent, or purchasing medication to manage her diabetes. Her landlord could have evicted her for her roughly $4,500 in arrears. But instead, Shaisha secured emergency cash assistance to cover her debt, thanks to the fledgling rental assistance program Home 4 Good.

1 week ago | brickunderground.com | Celia Young

Affordable Housing By Celia Young  | Anasthasia works at the housing nonprofit New Destiny Housing. Photo courtesy Molly StromoskiAnasthasia Blair was renting an apartment with a voucher when learned she had won a housing lottery apartment. She moved into a one-bedroom unit with her daughter, and said it gave her the stability to eventually find a place with more room for her family. Here’s her story as told to Brick Underground Senior Writer Celia Young. I’m from New York City.

2 weeks ago | brickunderground.com | Celia Young

New Construction + Condos By Celia Young  | The budget also includes $1 billion for City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, NYC's landmark initiative to build 80,000 units of housing in the next 15 years. iStockSome New York City renters could gain a path to buying their apartments under legislation passed in the whopping $254 billion New York state budget that passed last month.

3 weeks ago | brickunderground.com | Celia Young

The Search By Celia Young  | Assuming the FARE Act goes into effect on June 11th, renters signing leases after that date will see an upfront financial obstacle removed. iStockJune 11th. That’s the day New York City renters could be free from paying a broker fee for agents who work on behalf of landlords—a longstanding practice that has frustrated legions of renters.

1 month ago | brickunderground.com | Celia Young

Co-ops By Celia Young  | A parapet is the part of a roof that extends beyond a building’s roof line. iStockIf you’re on a New York City co-op or condo board, or the owner of a rental building or townhouse, it’s time to have your parapet inspected. Almost all NYC properties need to have their parapets checked for unsafe conditions under Local Law 126, the same law that mandates parking garage inspections.