Council Member Sanchez on HPD authority to remove or disqualify managing agents
Sanchez asks whether HPD can remove or disqualify a managing agent from Mitchell-Lama developments and what triggers that. Phillips confirms HPD has the authority to work with housing companies to find new management. Alika notes management companies are leaving the portfolio.
Similarly, does HPD have the authority to remove
or disqualify a managing agent from Mitchell Lama Developments?
If so, is there a threshold there that would trigger that?
So we do have the authority.
I don't believe that there's a specific threshold, but we are able to work with the housing company to find a new property management firm if that's what the residents want.
And what the shareholders want.
Has there been, what is the history of that?
What was the latest one?
How frequent or unfrequent does this happen?
I actually just wanted to lift up that we're seeing just challenges with property management companies and managing agents across every housing portfolio that you can imagine.
And so whereas in the past we would deal with building specific issues, we are, as the first deputy commissioner mentioned, really working with the entire portfolio of the managing agent.
But I also want to say that we are seeing more management companies leave out of the portfolio.
And there is a conversation of how do we get more property management companies to be interested in working with our portfolios.
And again, this is not just specific to Mitchell Lama.
It's the entire, like what we're seeing across the housing industry when it comes to property management.
And can you talk to any relationships that you have with these agents?
I mean, a lot of the times they hide behind a lot, not particularly in Mitchell Lama, just hide behind these pseudo corporations that you can't get in touch with people and then you have to work with them.
How has your experience been with these managing agents and being able to actually get responsiveness, delivery for residents, delivery for tenants, and ability for council members to then work with you and work with the managing companies to really get?
I mean, I think the majority of property management firms, and not just the Mitchell Llama stock, but the broader affordable housing stock, if we call them, they will come in to meet with us.