Organization Details:

Since 1959, Strycker’s Bay Neighborhood Council, Inc. (SBNC) has existed to assist low- and moderate-income families of the Upper West Side by providing direct counseling and services in the areas of affordable housing, neighborhood stabilization, development. At SBNC, we believe that these issues are interrelated, particularly on the familial level; thus, in addressing all of these concerns, we offer families and individuals the resources, tools, and skills necessary to combat the most pressing problems that they face on a day-to-day basis, and through this process we play an integral role in breaking the cycle of poverty and welfare dependency.

Description and/or History:
SBNC is a critical anchor for low-income residents of the Upper West Side. We are a small, grassroots, social service and youth organization that provides counseling, makes referrals, and serves as an advocate for low-income families on a walk-in basis; therefore, every household that we help to sustain and improve through any of our services is a marked accomplishment. Our programs are integrated and unified to insure we can address household problems holistically. Our main programs are:





Housing Counseling and Eviction Prevention Program
Strycker’s Bay is one of only four Housing Counseling Agencies certified by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development in Manhattan. Certification by HUD allows us to access federal funds to support our counseling program. We are also funded by New York State and the City of New York to deliver counseling and direct assistance to families facing eviction and/or who occupy apartments with unsafe living conditions.
Through this program:

1. We counsel low-income people facing the possibility of losing their homes due to eviction. We help them navigate the legal and social service systems to insure they keep their apartments.
   
   
2. We help families to apply for and secure affordable housing.
   
   
3. We help obtain one-time emergency grants for rent and/or utilities through organizations such as The Bridge Fund, Catholic Charities and Coalition for the Homeless.
   
   
4. We educate tenants and advocate on their behalf to get landlords to make much-needed repairs and improvements. In this way, tenants are not forced to vacate their apartments because of unlivable situations.
   
   

Contact people:

Kelley Williams, Executive Director, (212) 874-7272, (email) Ramon Cuevas, Program Director, (212) 874-7272, (email) Indera Singh, Administrative Assistant, (212) 874-7272, (email)

Address:

61 West 87th Street Basement New York, NY 10024 (See a map)

Directions:

There are several sources of public transportation within a 15-minute walking distance of our organization. Two blocks to the southeast there are the B and C subway lines on West 86th Street and Central Park West, and to the west, the 1 subway line on West 86th and Broadway. Also, the M104 bus runs north and south on Broadway, and the M7 and M11 buses run north on Amsterdam Avenue and south on Columbus Avenue. The M10 runs north and south on Central Park West. In addition, there is a nearby cross-town bus (the M86) that stops at West 86th Street and Columbus Avenue. Strycker's Bay's office is located on the northwest side of West 87th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West.   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: B,C, and 1,   Walk distance (in minutes): 2-5   Nearest Bus Stop: M10, M86, M7, M11, M104, 2-5 minute walk