JustFix is a left-of-center advocacy group  that supports using software to increase protections for renters and tenants, promotes the “housing justice movement,” and fights for left-of-center racial and economic policies. It also publishes articles and reports on housing data and tenants’ rights. ¹

It has previously received funding left-of-center organizations including  the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Ford Foundation, Google, Harvard University, Legal Services Corporation, the New York Community Trust, Oak Foundation, George Soros’s Open Society Foundations, Pershing Square Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Robin Hood Foundation.  ²

Background

JustFix is a left-of-center advocacy group that promotes and develops digital tools for assisting the “housing justice movement” in New York. ¹

Activities

JustFix provides several digital tools on its website that it claims helps tenants protect “their housing rights.” ³ Such tools include forms to request apartment repairs, research information on buildings and their landlords, information on evictors, information to request apartment rent history, and other tools to prevent “income discrimination.” ^{4 3} It claims that that in 2021, approximately 350,000 tenants in the New York City region used its digital tools. ⁵

In addition to digital tools, JustFix publishes articles and reports by the group’s “housing experts” to provide information to New York City tenants.  Several of its articles include, “Should I Sue My Landlord for Repairs?”, “NYC Heat Law: Know Your Rights,” and “NYC Fire Safety and Your Landlord’s Responsibilities.” ^{6 7 8 9}

Partners

JustFix has partnered with several left-of-center advocacy groups  to create and promote partnership initiatives that assist NYC tenants. These include a community training program with Montefiore’s Housing At Risk Program (H@RP) to educate tenants on how to use its digital tools and the “EvictionFreeNY” plan to develop a tool with Right to Counsel Coalition and Housing Justice for All to prevent evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. ⁴

Its partners include CASA New Settlement, Anti-Eviction Mapping Project, Catholic Migration Services, Center for Court Innovation, Gooddard Riverside Community Center, IMPACCT Brooklyn, Justice for All Coalition, the Legal Aid Society, Legal Services NYC, Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants, Center for Court Innovation, Takeroot Justice, Tenants & Neighbors, Urban Homesteading Assistance Board, and Unlock NYC. ⁴

Funding

JustFix received $100,000 in 2022 and an additional $100,000 in 2023 from the Ford Foundation to provide “general support for JustFix to harness technology for the housing justice movement in New York City and New York State.” ¹⁰

It has received funding from Capital One Bank, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Deutsche Bank, Foundation of Philanthropic Funds (FJC), Google, Guggenheim Partners, Harvard University, Legal Services Corporation, Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants (MOPT), the New York Community Trust, the New York City Council, NYU Community Fund, Oak Foundation, George Soros’s Open Society Foundations, Pershing Square Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Robin Hood, the Awesome Foundation, and Wells Fargo. ²

1. “Mission.” JustFix, Accessed October 2, 2024. https://www.justfix.org/en/our-mission
2. “Technology for Housing Justice.” JustFix. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://www.justfix.org/en/partners.
3. “Tools.” JustFix. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://www.justfix.org/en/tools.
4. “Partners.” JustFix. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://www.justfix.org/en/partners.
5. “Our Mission.” JustFix. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://www.justfix.org/en/our-mission.
6. “Should I Sue My Landlord for Repairs?” JustFix, October 25, 2022. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://www.justfix.org/en/learn/guide-to-hp-actions.
7. “NYC Heat Law: Know Your Rights.” JustFix, November 15, 2021. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://www.justfix.org/en/learn/nyc-heat-law.
8. “NYC Fire Safety and Your Landlord’s Responsibilities.” JustFix, April 26, 2022. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://www.justfix.org/en/learn/fire-safety-and-violations.
9. “Reports.” JustFix. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://www.justfix.org/en/reports
10. “Grants Database – Ford Foundation.” Ford Foundation. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://www.fordfoundation.org/work/our-grants/awarded-grants/grants-database/?search=justfix.