Rights Recorder App

No, we’re not brokers! Plus, virtually all landlords should accept vouchers if the applicant qualifies for the apartment they have advertised. However, we do offer tools, tips, and solidarity to support New Yorkers with vouchers throughout the apartment search process and can help renters speak up when they're being treated unfairly. Many of our team members and volunteers have been through the housing search process with a voucher in NYC, and can speak about what worked for them. Everyone’s situation is different, and we speak from our own experiences in the spirit of community-building and mutual aid.

We are an independent group that is not affiliated with any real estate management company, landlord, real estate company, government agency, or shelter. You can choose to report anonymously, and we will never share your personal information without your permission. We strongly encourage you to read our Privacy Policy and let us know if you have any questions.

Our team does not have any lawyers on staff and we cannot provide legal advice or representation. However, if you ask us to, we can connect you with an organization who can talk to you about your rights and options under the law and may be able to connect you with legal services. The Met Council on Housing also has a guide to finding a lawyer for housing-related issues here, which you may find helpful.

Unlock NYC will add anonymized details about the incident you share with us to our crowdsourced database of where voucher holders are experiencing unfair treatment, who’s doing it, and what tactics they’re using. We work with advocacy partners like the VALUE in Housing Campaign to shine a light on how voucher discrimination is impacting New Yorkers and what needs to change (for an example, check out one of our reports here)

If you want individual help with your specific situation, you can also request that we send a copy of your report to organizations who provide counseling on your rights and may be able to connect you to legal services if needed. We can currently connect you with the NYC Commission on Human Rights, the Fair Housing Justice Center, Fordham Right to Housing & Litigation Clinic, Mobilization for Justice, and Communities Resist, depending on what happened, where it happened, and what you hope to do about it.

You also don’t have to use Unlock NYC to report! If you prefer, you can report directly to agencies and organizations such as the NYC Commission on Human Rights, the HRA/DSS Source of Income Unit, the Fair Housing Justice Center, the New York State Division of Human Rights, the New York State Attorney General's Office, or the Fordham Right to Housing Clinic, among others.