Skip to main content

These activists are hacking housing problems in NYC using apps and data

Affordable and humane housing is one of the most prominent problems in America’s metropolises. While all manner of task forces and social activists continue to attack it, no one group has been universally successful at tackling it. However, a community of like-minded coders in New York City has banded together to at least to make life a little better, the New York Times reports.

These do-gooders informally identify as the Housing Data Coalition and consist of a variety of principled hacktivists who are building easy-to-use, intuitive tools that employ data as a weapon to combat illicit and unethical housing practices in a city that houses nearly 9 million people. They call their tools “civic technology” and employ their skills in service of the people, not the landlords who prey on vulnerable populations.

Recommended Videos

There’s Dan Kass, who moved to New York City in 2013 and found his apartment in Crown Heights not only had been rented illegally, but was nearly heatless and infested with vermin. He soon co-founded, along with friends Ashley Treni and George Clement, a nonprofit technology startup called JustFix.nyc, which launched apps that help tenants track disputes with landlords and navigate housing court, among others. The dashboard interface on the apps makes it easier for community organizers and legal aid attorneys to track problems like leaks, mold or rodent infestations.

JustFix.nyc: Technology for Housing Justice

Other examples emerging the app developers include an app called Heat Seek NYC, created by students at a coding academy in the city. Designed to collect information even if a user doesn’t have a high degree of tech literacy, the app uses a smartphone’s sensors to measure building and apartment temperatures, helping prove when landlords are skimping on the heat. (In increasingly frigid NYC, landlords are required by law to maintain temperatures of at least 55 degrees.)

Then there’s the Displacement Alert Project, an initiative of the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development, a coalition of affordable housing groups. Their technology maps out buildings and neighborhoods at risk of displacement.

Many of the tools these activists are developing are designed to pierce the veil of secrecy that has protected the real estate moguls of America’s largest cities for decades. They identify the landlords that are speculative or even predatory in their practices and enables communities to organize against those malicious acts.

A recent initiative of JustFix.nyc grew out of monthly meetings at a shared workspace in Brooklyn where activists exchange ideas about how to make things better. The new tool is called Who Owns What and allows tenants to enter an address and look up other buildings associated with the landlord or management company.

The technology being developed under the umbrella of the Housing Data Coalition isn’t intended to replace more traditional activism such as canvassing or protests, but it does give tenants a better way of gathering and communicating evidence to make their case for fairness.

Clayton Moore
Contributor
Clayton Moore’s interest in technology is deeply rooted in the work of writers like Warren Ellis, Cory Doctorow and Neal…
If you have pets, but hate vacuuming, this Shark robot vacuum is 49% off
The Shark AV2501S vacuum bot.

Nobody really likes vacuuming. Even with manually washing dishes you get to hear the pleasant sounds of water running, but vacuuming is overall just loud and time consuming. That's why we love robot vacuums so much. What we don't like about robot vacuums, however, is the price, which is why scouring through robot vacuum deals is so critical. Take this one, an early Prime Day deal, that saves you $270 on the Shark AV2501S, dropping its price to $280 from $550. Putting this all into perspective, when we covered the Shark AV2501S's 2024 Prime Day deal, it was still $412—things are looking a lot better for you this time around. To lock in this great price, simply tap the button below and make your purchase. Otherwise, keep reading to see why we like this vacuum, and what made it special enough for us to recommend it in the past.

Buy Now

Read more
xTool’s F2 Ultra: A smarter take on creative production
xtool f2 ultra on display on a table

This July, xTool isn’t just opening a new office in Mountain View, California, it’s setting up shop with purpose. Their U.S. Brand Launch Experience, timed with the debut of xTool’s first American headquarters, is more than a launch party. It’s a look at how the company is thinking long-term about tools, creators, and community.

At the center of the event is the F2 Ultra, xTool’s new flagship dual-laser system designed for small businesses and serious makers. Why does this machine matter? It helps to zoom out first. xTool’s U.S. expansion is borne of the necessity to show up for the people who use their products every day.
A Local Anchor for a Growing Brand
Mountain View now hosts xTool’s first U.S. demo center and office. That means faster customer support, more hands-on service, and a clearer bridge to the U.S. creative scene. One standout piece of the rollout is the xTool Squad, a national support team offering real human help with setup, training, and troubleshooting.

Read more
Samsung’s AI-powered refrigerator is down $1,870 for July 4th sale
Here, you can see the screen of the Samsung Bespoke 4-Flex with AI Family Hub refrigerator.

It's that time of the year where we see the most strain on our refrigeration and freezing elements, and when waiting extra minutes for a fresh batch of ice just doesn't seem worth it anymore. Luckily, a great Samsung deal has emerged as part of the company's ongoing July 4th sale. Their Bespoke 4-Door Flex Refrigerators (the smart refrigerators with AI vision into the fridge's interior and an AI family board on the front) are down to $3,299. That's a savings of $1,870 for the counter depth version (originally $5,099) and a savings of $1,200 for the full depth version (originally $4,999). Tap the button below to see the refrigerators for yourself or keep on reading to see why these are the best smart home pickups for the summer.

BUY NOW

Read more