Mayor’s office launches canvass to boost Rent Guidelines Board testimony in Queens

Darren Swan, Queensboro lead for the Mayor’s Office of Mass Engagement, told the borough cabinet that his office’s new canvassing effort aims to increase public participation in the Rent Guidelines Board process by informing tenants when and where they can testify. "Our job is to demystify government, break it down for everyone," Swan said, and described training for volunteers to do one‑on‑one outreach in rent‑stabilized buildings.

Swan said OM’s first Rent Guidelines Board canvass launches in neighborhoods with high concentrations of rent‑stabilized units and that the first borough hearing will be in Jamaica on June 4. He said volunteers will pass out palm cards, a QR code for signups and help residents determine whether their apartments are rent‑stabilized (OM will link volunteers to HPD resources to verify status).

Why it matters: The Rent Guidelines Board sets annual rent adjustments that affect roughly 1 million units subject to rent stabilization. OM said last year about 400 people testified and the canvass aims to raise that number by making testimony accessible across boroughs and communities that may have been under‑represented.

OM staff acknowledged limited current staffing in Queens (two staffers on the team) and said additional hires are expected; they committed to providing digital cards and targeted materials community boards can redistribute. OM also said outreach materials will include information about senior exemptions and other benefits so canvassers can point residents to additional cost‑of‑living resources.

The presentation closed with an offer to teach canvassing techniques to volunteers and a request that community boards forward newsletters and meeting links so OM can coordinate presence at local events.